Moroccan Chickpea & Spinach Stew

Burrr. The weather outside is ABSOLUTELY FREEZING and has me craving massive amounts of ginger. For dinner tonight I wanted something warm and hearty to pair with my luscious Sheldrake Point Riesling. Someone once told me that it is better to start with the wine and then decide on the meal. That way, you can adjust the flavors in the dish to compliment the wine perfectly. I love that mentality. After a long internal debate, I finally decided to make a spicy soup. I tend to favor Gewurztraminer with spicy foods, however; with the ginger, acidic tomatoes and creamy chickpeas I really liked this Riesling.Moroccan Chickpea and Spinach StewSheldrake Point  2008 Riesling (Note: My only holiday decoration in the background!)Since you can see my only holiday decoration n the background, I thought I’d do a close up. This was one of the wineries I visited during the “Holiday Shopping Spree” on the Cayuga wine trail two weekends ago.I burned the roof of my mouth but this was lovely. Plus since it was a light-ish and healthy dinner I felt it was necessary to dig into my cookie stash and sample err..okay 3-4 cookies.The big soft peanut butter cookie in the center was my favorite. When I bit in, I discovered a caramel-chocolate toffee surprise in the middle!! I also had the Chocolate Almond Shortbread Bar to the left and the Pecan Pie Bite to the right. All very good. I’m a little sugar overloaded but tis the season right? The 4-dozen cookies I have all to myself will not last long.

I sort of have a stew recipe (I threw a bunch of things in a pot and prayed.), so LET’S get cookin!Chop 3 carrots, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 medium onion and 2 TBS worth of ginger. Have about 4-5 cups (a 6oz bag will do) of baby spinach near by.Next up: 1 tsp paprinka, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch of cayenne, 2 cans of Garbanzo Beans, 1 can diced tomatoes, 2 cups chicken stock.Heat canola oil in a medium stock pan. Add onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant and translucent.Add carrots, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, a pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.At this point, the smell of cinnamon and ginger made me add the juice of 1 orange. I’m so glad I did. I also snacked on the leftover pulp. Is that weird?Add chickpeas and tomatoes. Toss to combine.Add 2 cups chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat about 20-30 minutes to thicken.Add 4 cups of baby spinach and mix until wilted. You will be surprised by how much this reduces.

Moroccan Chickpea and Spinach Stew

(Serves 3-4)

• 1 Medium Onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 inches of fresh ginger, chopped
• 3 carrots, diced
• Juice of 1 orange
• 4-5 cups baby spinach (the more the merrier!)
• 2 cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed
• 1 15-oz can of diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• pinch of cayenne
• kosher salt
• cracked black pepper

1. Add ~1 TBS canola oil to a stock pot over a medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and onion until fragrant and translucent.
2. Add carrots and spices. Toss to coat.
3. Add the juice of 1 orange.
4. Add chickpeas and tomatoes. Toss to coat.
5. Add 2 cups chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 20-30 until the mix it thick and yum looking.
6. Add spinach and stir until wilted.

Keeping Cozy,

Nora

What’s your favorite soup for a cold night?