Spanish Chickpea & Spinach Stew Recipe – Spanish Special

Heat a large frying pan or stockpot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

Meanwhile, peel the skins from 10 blanched raw almonds and 3 cloves of garlic.

After heating the oil for 2 minutes, add the almonds and garlic to the pan. Stir continuously in the olive oil for 3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the almonds and garlic to a mortar, add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley and a pinch of sea salt. Using a pestle, pound the ingredients into a paste and set aside.

Using the same pan, heat it over medium heat again. After 2 minutes, add 1 roughly diced onion to the olive oil. Mix and cook the onion until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin. Quickly stir to combine, then add 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar and 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. Mix well and simmer.

After 3 minutes and the tomato sauce has thickened, add 2 cups of cooked chickpeas and season with sea salt and black pepper. Gently mix together, then add 2 cups of vegetable broth and a pinch of 1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads. Add the almond and garlic mixture, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to low-medium.

After simmering for 5 minutes, remove the lid, add 5 ounces of fresh spinach, and mix until the spinach wilts. Once wilted, remove the pan from the heat. Serve the stew in shallow bowls and enjoy!