MLLA Chickpea, potato and tomato stew

Our heater broke down this week.  Our house is well insulated but we missed our heating.  We plugged in a cheap little blower heater.  It blew a fuse.  I was so glad when our heater was repaired - though we could very well do without the unexpected expense just before we head off on holidays.  However there are other ways to keep out the cold - stews, bread and chocolate.  They have all been present in the kitchen this week.  I blame the heater!

 Feeling time poor recently has made me turn to large dishes of lasagne, moussaka or rice bakes and big pots of stew.  The sort of dishes that can see you through the good part of a week without needing to do much in the kitchen apart from preparing a fussy toddler's meals (sigh)!  Again and again I kept looking longingly at Ricki's Chickpea, Potato and Tomato Stew.  It didn't let me down.

There are some food bloggers I love to read, not just for the witty repartee or the breathtaking photos but for the recipes that speak my language.  Ricki of Diet Dessert and Dogs is one of these.  My bookmarks are full of her recipes.  She inspires and intrigues with her innovative take on flavours at the same time that she creating amazing healthy alternatives to her favourite traditional dishes.

I am grateful to Ricki in particular for this stew.  It is a similar sort of dish to one that I used to make often.  I made it too often and left it behind.  The reunion has been a happy one.  I have changed.  Now I make my own stock.  I find it hard to cook without my favourite spice, smoked paprika.  I also loved the addition of mustard and would add fresh sage if I had any.  Not all has changed.  I still love more vegetables than most recipes suggest.  Serendipity had a hand in it too.  I added some lentils when there was a bit too much stock added because I measure it by the tubs I use to store it in the freezer.  This is not fancy food.  It is good honest grub that keeps out the cold.  Just what we needed.

Finally I wanted to mention a couple of revisions of recipes I have made this week.  Sylvia and I started to make her favourite Tofu Nuggets.  The fridge yielded no tofu but there was a whole head of cauliflower.  We made cauli nuggets instead.  They were so good I suggested they were better than chips but E shook his head and said, "not quite".  Almost!  I also tried making Olive Oil Bread with 2 tablespoons of whole chia seeds soaked about 10 minutes in 4 tablespoons of water and reduced the olive oil to 2 tablespoons.  The bread was a bit damp so I will experiment further before reporting in more detail.  However both bread and cauli nuggets were a good accompaniment to the stew.

I am sending this stew to Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook for My Legume Love Affair #37.  MLLA July 2011 marks the start of year 4 of this fine event that celebrates recipes using all sorts of beans, legumes, lentils, tofu etc etc.  To celebrate, Susan has a series of interesting guest posts by respected bloggers during July.  She has also started a new event featuring stunning black and white food photography called Black and White Wednesday.  Well worth a visit!

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
This time last year: Tofu omelettes from China
This time two years ago: Pudding, Parties and Plate Smashers
This time three years ago: Vegetarian Cassoulet
This time four years ago: Hubert the Hog’s Head

Chickpea, Potato and Tomato Stew
Adapted from Diet, Dessert and Dogs
Serves about 6

1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
2 medium onions, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
1 small turnip (swede), peeled and diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable stock
8 small potatoes, diced
1 tsp seeded mustard
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
dash each of chilli powder and cinnamon
1 large dessertspoon of tahini
1/2 cup green lentils dried
fresh parsley

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Add the vegetables and garlic.  In an ideal world, cook for another 5 or so minutes (I had to get to other dishes and just turned off the heat until I was ready to resume).

Add remaining ingredients except tahini, bring to the boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes until potatoes and lentils are cooked (ie soft).  Gently stir in tahini when cooked to give a slightly creamy texture.  Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.  This stew is hearty enough to eat without accompaniments but is great with bread and would be lovely with rice or other cooked grains.

Variations: May 2012 - made this again but had no turnip so I add a large handful of chopped green beans with the vegies, used puy lentils instead of green lentils, a 700ml jar of passata instead of the tins of tomatoes, and 1tsp liquid smoke instead of the smoked paprika, plus I added a little french lavender salt.  Fantastic!


On the Stereo:
Songs of an Impotent Troubadour: Tiny Tim and Current 93