Moroccan-Style Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

This is a dish I conceived on a whim. It was inspired by after returning from a trip to Israel and what I had in my refrigerator and pantry at the time.

I still had the flavors of the middle east tickling my taste buds after returning from a family visit to Tel Aviv. I spent a lot of time shopping and eating during the trip – my way of getting to know a country’s soul. Local markets are where conversations happen. This is where the true nature of people is exposed. And in Tel Aviv, the special vibe of mixing North African influences with Eastern European inspirations always produces an interesting result. For me, well…I got the added bonus of family tradition and home cooking.

I began making this recipe by mixing seasonal greens with some eggplant and chickpeas, then implanting a heavy spice note – it seemed like a good place to begin my memory journey. From there, the dish evolved into a regular at home – or at least any number of variations that sprout from the basic method. Sometimes I add tomatoes. I change the greens depending on the season. If I have some fresh parsley or coriander on hand – in it goes. So, even though I have outlined the basic steps to the recipe, I hope you will look at as an inspiration – a way to create something tasty without too much effort, simply using what you have on hand. Use canned chickpeas or frozen spinach – perhaps even a can of chopped tomatoes. It will still turn out good if you carefully put it together and follow the instructions on spicing.

Difficulty: simple
Yield: makes about 4-6 servings