Recipe Revisit: Chickpea Stew with Apricots

This was one of those recipes that I made once, thought was wonderful, and then never made again. I couldn’t recall why this stew wasn’t something I wanted to make often, except, perhaps that it has a lot of parsnips in it, which I only tend to use in the deepest of winter, when there’s not such exciting produce to choose from. I did report having some trouble getting the chickpeas cooked properly using the method of the original recipe, so I sort of rearranged things to improve that.

For starters, I cooked the chickpeas first and separately. I think there was too much acid in the stew to cook the chickpeas along with everything else. That may have been what caused them to stay too firm, no matter how long I cooked the stew. This worked well, and also allowed the stew to be cooked in shifts, each taking a little less time than cooking everything all at once. (My schedule demands this!)

The rest of my adjustments involved streamlining the process, making it more like I make other soups and stews: sauteeing vegetables, stirring in spices, stewing the vegetables with the cooked beans, adding the final touches and seasonings, and adjusting the flavors to taste.

This recipe makes a big, big pot of stew, and could probably be halved. It also makes a subtly flavored stew, slightly sweet from all those parsnips with some fruity and floral notes from the apricots. It’s hearty and satisfying. It’s got a healthy nutritional profile with good doses of protein and fiber. It’s also vegan, if that happens to matter to you.

With its fairly mild flavor profile, this stew has plenty of room for other taste improvisations. The natural sweetness makes me think you could add cinnamon and allspice to the seasonings. Lots more spice, in the form of more chile, or curry powder or paste would be good. Other vegetables, such as bell peppers, could replace the parsnips in other seasons. Add some greens, like spinach or arugula.

Overall, this recipe revisit was a success. I made the necessary changes to make the process more approachable. I got more ideas on how to vary the flavors satisfactorily. And, most importantly, I made a big pot of comforting stew to warm us from the inside in this winter that will not end.

Chickpea Stew with Parsnips and Dried Apricots

If you start with cooked chickpeas, you will need 3 ½- 4 cups.

I think you could cut the recipe quantities in half would good results. You could also adjust the spices and seasonings to your personal taste.

If you get your chickpeas (or any dried beans) very fresh, you may not need to soak them before cooking. I usually have good results with a 6-8 hour soak.

12 ounces dried chickpeas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

2 cups chopped carrot, about ½ inch dice

2 cups chopped parsnip, about ½ inch dice

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

1 cup finely chopped dried apricots

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Chopped fresh parsley for serving

1. Rinse the dried chickpeas and sort out any debris or chickpeas that don’t look good. Place the chickpeas in a large pot or bowl. Cover with at least 2 inches of water. Let stand 6-8 hours.

2. Drain the soaking chickpeas. Return them to the pot and cover with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cook the beans at a low boil until they are soft but not yet falling apart. This could take up to an hour, and can be done a day or two ahead. Drain the cooked chickpeas and set aside.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large (6 quart or larger) pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot and parsnip. Cook, stirring often for about 10 minutes, or until the onion appears softened and translucent.

4. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, cumin, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook about one minute, stirring frequently. Add the cooked chickpeas, bay leaves and water.

5. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Cook at a gentle boil until the vegetables are very tender, about 35-45 minutes.

6. Stir in the apricots and cook until they are soft. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste the stew for seasonings and adjust as desired, especially for salt and acid. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley.

Makes a big pot of stew, probably about 8 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Split Pea and Vegetable Curry, Stewed Beans with Bacon and Caramelized Onions, White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Rosemary

One year ago: Curry Carrot Soup