Spicy Chickpea Stew With Eggplant Recipes

EASY GREEK-STYLE EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place eggplant cubes in a colander over a large bowl or directly over your sink, and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 20 minutes or so to allow eggplant to "sweat out" any bitterness. Rinse with water and pat dry.
• In a large braiser, heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, peppers, and chopped carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, then add garlic, bay leaf, spices, and a dash of salt. Cook another minute, stirring until fragrant.
• Now add eggplant, chopped tomato, chickpeas, and reserved chickpea liquid. Stir to combine.
• Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes or so. Stir often. Remove from stove top, cover and transfer to oven.
• Cook in oven for 45 minutes until eggplant is fully cooked through to very tender. (While eggplant is braising, be sure to check once or twice to see if more liquid is needed. If so, remove from oven briefly and stir in about 1/2 cup of water at a time.)
• When eggplant is ready, remove from oven and add a generous drizzle of Private Reserve EVOO, garnish with fresh herbs (parsley or mint). Serve hot or at room temperature with a side of Greek yogurt or even Tzatziki sauce and pita bread.

EGGPLANT AND CHICKPEA STEW

Steps:

• Place a flameproof casserole or other large, wide pan over medium heat, and heat oil. Add onion, and sauté until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, coriander, cumin, paprika and salt.
• Add eggplant and stir until well-coated with oil and spices and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add wine, and bring mixture to a simmer. Add tomatoes and chickpeas and stir well. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to as low as possible. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes.
• Allow stew to cool a bit, then serve warm, rather than piping hot. If desired, serve as a side dish with herbed and butterflied leg of lamb.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA AND EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) STEW

Steps:

• Cut off the ends of the eggplant, than chop into ¾" cubes. I salted an eggplant once just for fun, but with fresh eggplant just don't find it necessary!
• Chop the onion roughly.
• Mince the garlic.
• Coat a large deep-sided frypan with olive oil. and heat over a medium heat.
• Add the minced garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon. Stir well to coat evenly. Cook until the onions have softened (approx. 4-5 minutes).
• Add the eggplant, tomatoes and chickpeas, along with the stock. Simmer over medium-low heat, covered, for fifteen-twenty minutes (until the eggplant is tender).
• Uncover and stir. If the stew looks very soupy, let the liquid bubble away for a few more minutes.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve over rice / pasta / cous cous / even toast would be yummy.
• The qty of spice listed make it moderately hot - good for a taste explosion for someone not used to spices. I normally double them as I like things really spicy!

SPICY CHICKPEA STEW WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
• In a ramekin, combine the harissa seasoning, the smoked paprika, the cumin, the coriander and the black pepper, and set aside.
• Place a pot or a deep, wide pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Once hot, add in the sliced onion and the eggplant, along with a couple of good pinches of salt, and stir to combine, cooking the onions and eggplant for about 5-6 minutes until beginning to soften.
• Add the garlic and sprinkle in the spice mixture from the ramekin, and stir to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes longer.
• Next, pour in the orange juice, add the chopped tomatoes with their juices, and add the vegetable stock/broth, along with the chickpeas, and stir to combine. Drizzle in some additional olive oil for silky richness and flavor.
• Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and very gently simmer the stew, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally and very gently as to not break up the eggplant.
• After an hour, remove from heat and fold in the chopped cilantro, parsley and mint, and drizzle in some additional olive oil. Check to see if additional salt/pepper is needed.
• Serve the chickpea stew over rice, couscous or quinoa, or with a side of flatbread such as pita, lavash, or naan.

SPICED CHICKPEA STEW WITH COCONUT AND TURMERIC

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they've started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.
• Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!
• Add greens and stir, making sure they're submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you're using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.
• Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.