Moroccan Chickpea Tomato Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried chickpeas (about 2 1/3 cups), picked over
- 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1/4 C. olive oil
- 3 large onions, sliced thin (about 7 cups)
- 2 28 to 32 oz. cans whole tomatoes, drained & chopped, juice reserved
- 1 C. raisins
- 1/3 C. chopped peel of preserved lemons
- 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 1/2 lbs. fresh spinach, stems trimmed and leaves washed well and drained
- 1/2 to 1 lb. dried beans, picked over
Directions
In a bowl, cover chickpeas in water by 2 inches and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. In a 3 quart saucepan combine chickpeas, cinnamon, cumin seeds, and water to cover, by 2 inches, and simmer, covered partially, adding more water if necessary, 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until chickpeas are just tender. Discard cinnamon. In a large, heavy kettle, heat oil over moderate heat and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with reserved juice, chickpeas with cooking liquid, raisins, preserved lemon peel, ground cumin, and coriander and bring to a simmer. Cook stew about 45 minutes, or until chickpeas are tender and liquid is thickened slightly. Stir in spinach, a heaping handful at a time, and cook until wilted and just tender. Season stew with salt and pepper and serve with couscous and bread.
Makes 8 servings.
