The chickpea stew is a combination of vegetables cooked in wine and herbs. You can eat it as a main dish with couscous or rice, or as a side dish to any meat or fish. This dish is succulent. The sweetness of the chickpeas and herbs compliments the acidity of the tomatoes and wine. It is soft and crunchy at once. It is down to earth and sophisticated. It is very tasty.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, or 1 fennel bulb, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 carrots, peeled, diced
- 2 celery stalks, peeled diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (very important)
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 can tomatoes, roughly chopped (keep the juices)
- 2 cans chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cups veggie stock
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and fennel (or fennel seeds) until lightly brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the carrot and celery and sauté another 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste and mix well. Add the wine and let bubble away for a couple minutes.
Add the canned tomatoes and their juices, parsley, thyme, sugar, and stock. Season with salt and pepper, and cook on medium for 20 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes.