We had this for supper tonight and it's really a delicious change, but I'll make some changes. The lemon flavor was good, but too pronounced, perhaps because I grated a large lemon with the microplane and had too much. We couldn't taste the cumin so I'll double it next time. It is a bit fiddly and a long list of ingredients, so those who don't like that might not want to bother. I like to have dishes that give us lots of flavor and meatless protein now and again. This does that.
There's some do ahead prep that would be helpful if you didn't have the time before the meal to do it all. The garlic can be roasted ahead and kept 'til needed. The peppers and onions could be cut and kept in a baggie. So could the lemon zest. Cumin, salt, and pepper could all be measured and kept in a small bowl. And the parsley could be prepped ahead as well. I just realized as I'm typing that I completely forgot the mint, and I think that might make a big difference. I'll add some to the leftovers when I heat it again.
Mediterranean Chick Pea Stew
1 whole head garlic, unpeeled
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch freshly ground black pepper and sea salt
2 sweet red bell peppers, seeded and julienned
1 red finger hot chile pepper, seeded and minced*
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 t paprika
1 t cumin
Pinch sea salt
(2) 28-oz cans whole, peeled, organic tomatoes, hand crushed
Pinch brown sugar
3 c canned chick peas, rinsed and drained
Zest of 1 lemon
10 large fresh mint leaves, stacked, rolled up and sliced into ribbons, chiffonade
Handful fresh parsley, leaves picked and minced
Whole-wheat pitas, cut into wedges and toasted, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.
Slice the top off of the head of garlic; lay it on some aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil, and a pinch black pepper. Seal the aluminum foil over the garlic and roast for 40 minutes.
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the peppers and scallions to the pan, coat with salt, paprika, and cumin. Saute for 8 minutes. Pour in the hand-crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Peel 8 cloves of roasted garlic and crush with a fork. Add the garlic, chick peas, lemon zest, mint, and parsley to the stew. Stir and heat through. Ladle stew into big bowls and serve with toasted whole-wheat pita wedges. 4 servings
Per serving: Calories 338; Total Fat 10 grams; Saturated Fat 1 gram; Protein 14 grams; Total Carbohydrate 49 grams; Sugar: 18 grams; Fiber 12 grams; Cholesterol 0 milligrams; Sodium 1486 milligrams;
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