Catalan Chickpea And Sausage Stew Food

CATALAN CHICKPEA AND SAUSAGE STEW

Steps:

• Combine the drained chickpeas with enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and skim off any foam. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt to taste (about a tablespoon), and simmer for another hour, until tender. Drain over a bowl and retain 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set aside.
• While the beans are cooking, heat a large, heavy casserole over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the sausages. Brown the sausages on all sides and remove from the heat. Slice and set aside.
• Add the olive oil to the pan, turn the heat down to medium, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, and add the diced pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion and pepper are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for a minute or two, until fragrant, and stir in the tomatoes, sliced sausage, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add the chickpeas, dried cayenne or chili flakes, and the 2 cups of their liquid that you set aside. Bring back to a simmer, stir together, turn the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans are very tender and the broth fragrant. Taste, adjust seasonings, and serve.

CATALAN CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• For the picada: Toast the nuts in a small skillet, then remove to a plate. Add the EVOO to the skillet and toast the bread slices until golden. Chop the bread and add to a food processor along with the parsley, lemon juice, garlic, toasted almonds and a splash of water. Pulse until the mixture is a pesto-like consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve. For the stew: Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the thyme, paprika, celery, bay leaves, carrots, onions, bell peppers, chile peppers and saffron and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and mash. Add the stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Stir in the picada and olives, then remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Ladle the stew into shallow bowls and serve with warm bread for mopping. Cook's Note: The stew and the picada can be refrigerated in separate containers in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal. Reheat the stew over medium heat, adding the picada and olives.
• Put the chicken in a very large stockpot or divide between 2 pots if necessary. Add the peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, carrots, celery, lemons, onions and herb bundle and sprinkle with salt. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook at a rolling simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken from the liquid and let cool. Strain the stock. (You should have 5 to 6 quarts stock.) Remove the skin and bones from the chicken, and shred the meat using your hands or 2 forks.

CHICKPEA STEW

Steps:

• In a casserole heat the oil over moderate heat until hot. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden. Add the garlic, cumin, thyme and ginger and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and liquid, broth And cinnamon stick, bring liquid to a boil and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the carrots and simmer, covered, for 8 minutes. Add the broccoli, squash and chickpeas and simmer, covered, 5 minutes more, or until vegetables are just tender. Stir in the cilantro. Serve with couscous.

CHICKPEA PASTA STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the crushed red pepper, garlic, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper and cook until the garlic is softened and the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the chickpeas and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the chickpeas are coated and heated through, about 3 minutes. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash about a quarter of the chickpeas; this will help thicken the stew and give it body.
• Stir in the marinara sauce, pasta, lemon zest, Parmesan rind and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is very al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir in the greens and continue to cook until completely wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Add more salt and black pepper to taste. Divide among bowls, top with the grated Parmesan and some crushed red pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

SAUSAGE AND CHICKPEA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the sausages. They don't have to be cooked through. Remove and let cool slightly.
• Cut the bacon into strips and fry in the oil.
• Add sliced onions and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft.
• Cut the sausage into slices and put in a casserole dish.
• Add the tomatoes, drained chickpeas and chopped leek.
• If there is a lot of fat in the bacon you may want to drain the fat off the onions and bacon. Add them to the casserole dish.
• Add paprika, salt, pepper and thyme and stir to combine. Dried mixed herbs or dried thyme will do.
• Finely chop the parsley and add half of it to the dish.
• Cover and bake in the oven at 170C/340F for 35 minutes.
• In the last few minutes of cooking, steam some cauliflower and/or broccoli or cook in the microwave.
• Stir the steamed vegetables into the casserole.
• Garnish with the reserved parsley.

QUICK SAUSAGE STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the sausages for 4-5 mins until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
• Cook the onion in the same pan for 5-6 mins until softened, adding a splash of water if it starts to catch. Add the chickpeas, tomato sauce and stock and bring to the boil. Return the sausages to the pan, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 5-6 mins until the sausages are cooked through. Scatter the garlic, orange zest and parsley over the stew, then serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread on the side.

SAUSAGE & BUTTER BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Gently heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the sausages all over until brown, then remove and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and fry for 5-10 mins until golden and soft, then add the celery, garlic and rosemary, and cook for 2 mins more. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 mins, then add the sausages back to the pan along with the butter beans. Simmer for 8 mins, then stir in the butter, parsley and lemon zest. Ladle into bowls and serve piping hot with lots of chunky bread.