Greek-inspired Chickpea Stew (Vegetarian)

by Ania, of Bristol, UK https://www.lazycatkitchen.com/greek-inspired-chickpea-stew/

(garbanzos, Greek, vegetarian )

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 head of garlic + 3 large cloves, divided
3 tbsp / 45 ml extra virgin olive oil (or vegan stock for oil-free version)
1 large shallot + 1 leek (or 2 large shallots)
thyme and / or rosemary
˝ tsp black pepper
chili flakes (optional) or chilli oil to finish
1˝ tsp salt, adjust to taste
2 fresh or dry bay leaves
1 unwaxed lemon, peel and juice
800 g / 5 cups cooked chickpeas (2 cups dry*)
240 ml / 1 cup creamy** almond or oat milk
2 tbsp tahini (optional)
100 g / 3˝ oz kale, chard or spinach (optional) or potatoes

Instructions

1. Heat up the oven to 200° C / 390° F. Cut the top of the garlic head(s) off (I recommend roasting 2-3 at the same time) and drizzle the exposed cloves with a small amount of olive oil. Wrap the garlic in a piece of baking paper and then kitchen foil and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the cloves are soft and sticky. Set aside.
2. Cut the green part off the leek, cut the remaining part in half lengthwise and clean off the grit hiding between layers. Chop the leek and the shallot finely.
3. Heat up olive oil in a heavy bottom pot. Add leek and shallot and sauté on a low medium heat until translucent, stir frequently.
4. Next, throw in finely chopped fresh garlic (3 cloves) and fresh thyme leaves and / or cut rosemary leaves (I use about 1 tbsp each). Sauté for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Once the garlic is fragrant, add in pepper, a pinch of chilli flakes (if using), 1 tsp of salt (add more later), bay leaves, 2-3 strips of lemon peel, 4 cups of cooked chickpeas and about 600 ml / 2˝ cups of water. Allow everything to come to a gentle simmer.
6. Meanwhile, blend 1 cup of chickpeas with all the roasted garlic cloves and 1 cup of plant milk. If you want extra creaminess, you could some tahini but it does introduce a sesame flavour.
7. Stir blended up chickpeas and roast garlic mixture to the simmering stew.
8. Taste, season with lemon juice (I used 4 tbsp), adjust the amount of salt to taste and you will probably want to add a bit more water to achieve the consistency you like.
9. Finally, if using any greens, chop them up small and allow them to simmer in the stew for 2-3 minutes (spinach and chard) and 5 minutes (kale). If you are feeling extra hungry, cubed potatoes cooked in the stew also make a great addition.
10. Divide between bowls and enjoy. I like to serve it with a slice of toasted sourdough and a drizzle of olive oil (or chilli oil if I have it on hand)

Notes
HOT TIP: Make this dish a day ahead for a better flavour and if you do, don’t cook the greens until you are ready to serve.

*Traditionally, chickpeas are cooked directly in the stew, but I prefer to do that separately. My main reason is that it is way easier to skim the pot if you do and also because I like to get homemade aquafaba / chickpea brine this way. If you do cook your own chickpeas for this, you may want to add a little aquafaba / chickpea brine to the stew for a creamier / thicker result.

**I made this stew with creamy almond milk with a high percentage of almonds, other neutral flavoured creamy milks like oat, cashew or even soy milk will work well too. I would steer clear of coconut though as it’s more suited to Asian-inspired stews.