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
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