Sane Cooking ~ Potaje de Garbanzos

So I married a Cuban.  He's strong willed and hot tempered (not too far off from this little Italian).  And with that comes all the Hispanic culture, family togetherness, and FOOD!

Garbanzos (or chickpeas) are my FAVORITE beans...I can put them on salads, eat them alone, or in soups.  Potaje de Garbanzos (Garbanzo Soup) is one of my all time favorite Cuban dishes. 


This dish is usually a wintery day dish, but since today was rainy, we wanted to cook something comforting and filling.  And since this dish is all day cooking, it's probably not a sane choice for a weeknight, but definitely a great meal!

Potaje de Garbanzos 

Ingredients:
1 lb of dried Garbanzo beans {chick peas} ~ You can also use 2 cans of chick peas
3 TBL of olive oil
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 medium green pepper (diced)
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
4 strips of bacon (diced)
2 medium potatoes (peeled & diced)
1 Spanish-style chorizo sausage (cut in 1/4 inch rounds)
1 link kielbasa sausage (cut in 1/4 inch rounds)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
4 bay leaves
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:


Soak chickpeas in cold water overnight, about 10-12 hours.  Drain and rinse well.  If using canned chick peas, you can skip this step.

In a large heavy pot, pour 6 cups of water over chickpeas.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until just tender, about 30 minutes. 

To make the sofrito, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic first for a few minutes.  Then add onions and peppers and sauté about 5 minutes until soft.  Add diced bacon, then chorizo and cubed kielbasa and sauté until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.  Add to chickpeas.


Mix in cumin, paprika, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt & pepper.  Add potatoes and bring to a simmer and cook, covered for about 20-30 mins.  


The desired consistency is a matter of taste. It can be served immediately as soup or allowed to cook a little longer, uncovered, for a thicker stew, about 15 minutes. 

Serve on its own with bread or over rice.
(This also makes a great puree for baby {compota} )

Makes 6-8 servings

Notes: This stew freezes extremely well for a couple of months. Once cooled, portions can be well sealed in freezer bags, defrosted and reheated with a little added water or broth as needed.




Alexis