Apparently we’ve been on a soup and stew kick as of late; here’s a quick weeknight one-pot dish that’s hearty and flavorful. This recipe is adapted from Steven Raichlen’s Healthy Latin Cooking and is chock-full of chickpeas and potatoes in a flavorful vegetable broth.

Lisa says:

Wow — there are a LOT of chickpeas in this stew.

Chris says:

Yeah, I don’t think you’re going to complain about this being too “brothy”.

Lisa says:

Not at all!

Chris says:

Actually, I had to add a little more broth while I was cooking it anyway; the potatoes were taking a longer time than I had expected. I’d cut them smaller next time.

Lisa says:

The sliced tomatoes on top are a nice change…

Chris says:

Yeah, I really like them. This isn’t the most remarkable dish in the book, but the tomatoes on top give it a nice twist.

Lisa says:

Well, I hope you like it enough to have the leftovers tomorrow night…

Chris says:

Definitely!

Creole Chickpea Stew
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 green onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 tbsp chopped cilantro
6 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ pieces
2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tomato, seeded and sliced

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, green onions, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, and oregano, and cook for five minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Add the chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and half of the parsley. Cook for five minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the tomato paste; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the potatoes; reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 6 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas and simmer for another 6 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the tomato slices and remaining parsley.

6 Servings

Carrie came over this week for dinner and we enjoyed this crab soup with a spinach salad and plenty of wine. The cilantro relish was a big hit, and though crab is expensive, it was totally worth it in this dish. We all loved it! The recipe comes from The Ultimate Soup Bible.

Carrie says:

Yum, I love crab!

Lisa says:

This soup is awesome…

Chris says:

I think there’s probably a bit too many noodles, but other than that I’m in love with this soup!

Lisa says:

Too many noodles in the recipe?

Chris says:

Nah, the recipe itself is probably a good amount, but my estimating skills are lacking. Determining five ounces out of a package of 16 when some unknown portion of them have already been used apparently is a challenge for me.

Lisa says:

The cilantro topping is awesome.

Carrie says:

Can I have more?

Chris says:

Yes! Let’s finish the batch!

Lisa says:

Leave room for dessert…

Dungeness Crab Soup with Cilantro Relish
SOUP:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chipped
2 red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb fresh Dungeness crab meat
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
juice of 2 lemons
1 lemongrass stalk
4 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce
5 oz angel hair pasta, broken into 2-3 inch lengths
salt and fresh ground pepper

RELISH:
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 green chili, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven and add the onion, chilies, and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until the onion is very soft. Transfer the cooked onion mixture to a bowl and stir in the crab meat, parsley, cilantro, and lemon juice, and set aside.
Bruise the lemongrass on a chopping board. Pour the stock and fish sauce into the dutch oven. Add the lemongrass and bring to a boil, then add teh pasta. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes until the pasta is just tender.
While the soup is simmering, prepare the relish by using a mortar and pestle to make a coarse paste of the cilantro, chili, oil, lemon juice, and cumin.
Remove and discard the lemongrass from the soup. Add the crab mixture into the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then set on low and simmer for two minutes.
Ladle the soup into four bowls and put a spoonful of the cilantro relish in the center of each.

4 Servings

Tonight, a dish that’s perfect for those hot summer evenings where you don’t want to turn on the stove or the oven: a “stew” made entirely of raw and precooked ingredients. Shrimp, cucumbers, and avocado are topped with a puree of tomatoes, onions, and peppers, then topped with cilantro and tortilla chips. This recipe comes from How to Eat Supper.

Lisa says:

Is this like gazpacho or something?

Chris says:

Sort of — it’s like the world’s best chunky salsa.

Lisa says:

Yum… seems pretty light if it’s just raw veggies and shrimp.

Chris says:

Yep! Light and refreshing… that lime juice brightens up the flavors a bit.

Lisa says:

So, you mentioned that you don’t have to turn on the oven, but we did anyway for the bread we had with it.

Chris says:

Yeah, well I also mentioned that it’s good for really hot nights, but it’s actually kinda cool and raining.

Lisa says:

True. It’s still delicious.

Santa Fe Summer Pot with Shrimp and Avocado
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 small cucumber, peeled and diced
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 pound cooked peeled shrimp
Handful tortilla chips, lightly crushed
limes, cut into wedges

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, onion, garlic, jalapeño, and spices. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
Place the tomatoes and cilantro sprigs into the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until the mixture is chunky. Add the onion mixture, and pulse five times.
Divide the cucumber, avocado, and shrimp among four bowls. Spoon the tomato blend into the bowls. Garnish with the crushed tortilla chips, additional cilantro, and lime wedges.

4 Servings