Tichi’s Garbanzo Stew | José Andrés

Delicious food is meant to be shared. That’s a simple and noble notion which José Andrés brings to the table, among other things. His humanitarian endeavor to solve the problem of hunger at places in crisis can’t be overstated. Tichi’s garbanzo stew recipe is particularly appealing; it’s something we can easily feed our family and more. Meanwhile, I have on hand several pounds of dry garbanzo beans idling and waiting for some attention.

I want to add more of José Andrés recipes for a taste of Spain. Recently I had dinner at Zaytinya, his new restaurant in New York city. We ordered numerous vegetables and meat mezze dishes, together with the complimentary flat bread. The bread is freshly made and inviting. Every bite of the mezze is as delicious as the last and all throughly enjoyed. Hopefully, we’d a chance to return for another great meal. For the time being, I’m excited to make one of his dishes in my own kitchen.

There is similarity in methodology between the garbanzo stew and the romesco sauce in the scallops with roasted Catalan sauce in an earlier post. Primarily, both involve the use of a bread paste. To make the garlic, pimenton bread paste, start with sautéing the garlic in a small pan until browned. Then add the pimenton and saffron under heat. Most noteworthy is the use of Spanish sherry vinegar to deglaze. Finally, mash the garlic mixture and the slightly toasted bread in the mortar.

Tichi’s garbanzo stew is a humble dish. However, it’s a sustaining and healthful dish that I’ll make over and over again. In fact, chickpeas are what’s known as a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids, the building blocks that our bodies need for growth and recovery.

Print Recipe

Tichi's Garbano Stew

By José Andrés – Serves: 4

This dish is simple and deeply satisfying, a Spanish bar classic. If you don't have spinach, substitute another leafy green – kale or chard would work just fine. Canned chickpeas work well if you don't have time to soak dried ones ... just reduce the cooking time.

Ingredients

• 9 ounces dried garbanzos, or two cans of chickpeas
• Pinch bicarbonate of soda
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
• 1/4 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil (like Merula)
• 2 ounces white sliced bread, with the crusts removed
• 2 tablespoons pimentón (like La Dalia)
• 1 pinch Spanish saffron (like Princesa de Minaya)
• 2 tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar (like José Andrés Reserva)
• 1/2 pound spinach, washed and cleaned
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

1

SOAK THE CHICKPEA: The day before you cook, soak the chickpeas in cold water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas.

2

COOK THE CHICKPEA: In a big saucepan, combine the chickpeas with 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for two hours, until the chickpeas are tender. Every 10 minutes or so, add 1/2 cup of cold water to slow down the simmering. By the end, the water should have reduced so it is barely covering the chickpeas. Turn off the heat and let sit.

3

MAKE THE GARLIC, PIMENTON & BREAD PASTE: In a small saute pan over medium to low heat, brown the garlic in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. When the garlic is browned, after about 3 minutes, remove from the pan and set aside.

4

Add the bread and brown on both sides, about one minute each side. Remove the bread and set aside. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

5

Add the pimenton and saffron to the saute pan, and the sherry vinegar immediately afterward to prevent the pimenton from burning.

6

In a mortar, smash the reserved garlic and the browned bread to make a very thick paste.

7

ADD SPINACH: Bring the chickpeas back to a low boil and add the spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pimentón mixture along with the garlic and bread paste, to create a thick, stewy sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Notes

https://www.littlespain.com/news-item/tichis-garbanzo-stew/