What if the Leftovers were so Good you Couldn't Wait to Eat them Again and Again?

What if the Leftovers were so Good you Couldn’t Wait to Eat them Again and Again?

 

Before I forget: I’m teaching a Cooking Class on December 11th. Come make cherry pie, beautiful winter salads and bright sauces that make everything better and will balance out all the heavy holiday fare! It will be a fun, festive and delicious evening. 2 spots left!

 

Would it be worth slowly cooking something, like this Chickpea (Chorizo) Chili, for a couple of hours? Or maybe you folks with Instant Pots can adapt this, but it’s pretty hands off so maybe a good weekend project or it can bubble away while you’re watching a Great British Baking Show one evening  . . .

 

I made a big pot of this invented-on-the-spot Chickpea (Chorizo) Chili on Sunday and we’ve enjoyed it in various forms most days since. The fresh chorizo was an addition on the second day and if you eat meat, this variation is really fantastic. I added mustard greens on another occasion, just while heating it up had it with an egg on toast one morning and with cilantro and scallions another time and just plain the very first go around.

 

Having something so flavorful and nourishing and complete ready to be warmed up and dressed up has been a gift this week. Would love to hear your variations or additions so report back if you make it.

 

Happy cooking!

 

Chickpea (Chorizo) Chili

 

Whether you add the chorizo (or other sausage or meat) or not, this long-cooked deeply flavored sauce-y stew is fantastic. You could serve it over rice or boiled potatoes or as is with a salad or over mashed potatoes and turnips, as I have here. You can also decrease the cooking time and still get good results but it won’t be quite as luscious.

 

Serves 4-6 (and makes fantastic leftovers)

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapenos, minced (seeds removed for a milder version) or some dried hot pepper if you don’t have fresh ones, to taste

2 small stalks celery, finely chopped

1 teaspoon pimenton (smoked paprika)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup roasted tomatoes, finely chopped or 2 tablespoons tomato paste or some chopped sun-dried tomatoes

4 cups cooked (or canned) chickpeas, drained

2 cups chickpea cooking liquid (or water, veg or chicken broth)

2 cups canned tomatoes

Chopped cilantro and thinly sliced scallion, for serving (optional)

8 ounces fresh chorizo or ground pork or beef (optional)

Rice or mashed vegetables, for serving (see headnote)

 

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, celery, chilies, pimenton, salt and pepper and saute gently for about 10 minutes, until fragrant and softening. Add the roasted tomatoes or tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes. Add the chickpeas, canned tomatoes and liquid and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer, partially covered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. You want a nicely thickened consistency. If it’s at all watery, turn up the heat, remove cover and cook until saucy.

 

If using, crumble the chorizo and cook in a small skillet until browning and just about cooked through. Add it to the chickpeas and continue cooking for 10 minutes or so. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve, as desired.

4 thoughts on “What if the Leftovers were so Good you Couldn’t Wait to Eat them Again and Again?”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes:

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>


Cook With What You Have


Facebook Instagram