This Pepperoni Tastes Like…Wood?

This stew originated as a recipe from www.cookinglight.com, but has been adapted over time and made our own. Although we frequently can get great chorizo from our friends at Ratinaud, we love the taste that Chris Brothers’ pepperoni adds to the soup. Naturally-smoked, it actually makes us feel like our stew has been cooked over a real wood fire.

For the original, search Chickpea-Kale Stew with Chorizo at www.cookinglight.com

For our version, here’s how we changed it:

15ml/1 T olive oil
3 large onions, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2oz/60g Chris Brothers pepperoni, diced
Stems of one large bunch of kale, reserve and chop the leaves

Cook these ingredients til soft.

Then add

3c/750 ml cooked chickpeas with liquid (we precook without salt and freeze in tubs)
3c/750ml unsalted turkey broth (again, we make homemade and freeze whenever we roast…anything)
Kale leaves
1t/10ml oregano

Bring to simmer, cover, and stir occasionally for 30 minutes.

Delicious!

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We Say Chickpea, You Say Garbanzo

No matter what they’re called, they make fantastic hummus. We cooked these chickpeas ourselves and stored them in the freezer until they were needed. They have a fresh taste that you just can’t quite get in the canned ones, and they’re much lower in sodium.

To make the hummus, in a food processor, mince a clove of garlic with the zest of half a lemon. To this, add about a cup of chickpeas, drained (but reserve the liquid), the juice of the lemon half (or, in a pinch, a couple of tablespoons of juice from a bottle and some lemon pepper instead of the zest), a heaping teaspoon (10ml) of tahini, and a half a teaspoon (2ml) of cumin. Buzz it together well then add the liquid, a little at a time, processing just until you get the consistency you want.  This hummus has a bright flavour that goes perfectly with all of these awesome vegetables we found at the East York Civic Centre Farmer’s Market.