Grain Free Tabouli

A very versatile salad is tabouli.  This one was made with ingredients on hand, including fresh radishes from the Pasco farmers' market.

Yes, you can leave out the bulgur (or as I think of it now, "vulgar") wheat, increase your tomatoes, cukes, parsley and mint (and add many optional vegetables you have on hand) and produce a tabouli salad worthy of gourmet raves.

As an added benefit, it won't spike your blood sugar or put blubber on your belly.  This tabouli nestles up beautifully alongside whatever other vegetables you're serving, and its crunchy, spritely nature compliments meats.  Win win! 

GRAIN FREE TABOULI

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

You can put the spin-dried parsley and mint, and green onions and arugula (if using) into a food processor and pulse 'til it's all a lovely green fluff.  Easy!

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed or very finely chopped

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly-ground black pepper

1 bunch parsley, washed, big stem ends removed, spun dry, and chopped

1 bunch mint, washed, leaves removed, spun dry, and chopped

1 small sweet onion, minced, or a bunch of green onions, with some of green parts, sliced

4  medium tomatoes, diced

2 large cucumbers, peeled and diced

Optional vegetables (see below)

In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Stir in the onion, tomatoes and cucumbers, along with whatever optional vegetables you're using.  Leafy additions like arugula should be added with the parsley and mint just before serving.

Chill salad up to several hours before serving.  Overnight is even okay. 

Just before serving, stir in the parsley, mint and any sliced or chopped leafy greens you're using.  Serve the salad cold or at room temperature. 

Makes 4 generous servings

Options abound for veggies to add or substitute. Increase dressing amount if you're making an enormous bowl of tabouli! Consider:

• Fresh arugula, washed, thick stems removed, spun dry and sliced
• Fresh radishes, diced
• Fresh zucchini, diced
• Shredded carrots, kohlrabi, turnips
• Diced green and red bell peppers

Kale with Garlic, Sage and Thyme Butter

A serendipitous dish, put together with ingredients I had on hand.  The thyme and sage in my herb garden looked particularly fetching, even after our winter freezes, so I decided to stride confidently in the direction of the kale dish I was beginning to envision.

Sage and butter have long been happy partners, and I discovered that kale loves sage, too.  This is a company-worthy kale dish, with a little heat from the red pepper, a satiny smoothness from the butter, and a rich, savory taste from the herbs and garlic. 
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KALE WITH GARLIC, SAGE AND THYME BUTTER

1 bunch lacinato kale
1 large onion, peeled, halved and sliced
5 tablespoons butter or ghee

6 cloves garlic
Leaves from 1 handful of fresh thyme sprigs
A handful of fresh sage leaves
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 cup chicken broth or white wine
Salt if needed

6 small fresh tomatoes, quartered

Wash kale, remove thick stems (I do this by ripping the kale away from the stem) and slice the kale into thin strips.

Peel garlic cloves and place them in a small food processor with the thyme and sage leaves.  Process to a fine chopped state.  Alternatively, chop the garlic and herbs finely with a knife.

In large-ish skillet, heat butter or ghee over medium heat.  Add onions and saute for a few minutes.  Add garlic and herb mixture and saute a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Finally, stir in the kale and chicken broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Taste sauce for salt; I added 1/4 teaspoon.  Just before serving, stir in the tomatoes and heat just until the tomatoes are warmed through and savory looking.  Serve hot.

Makes 4 hearty servings

Roasted Tomato Soup with Goat Cheese

When looking at a heap of fresh tomatoes ripening rapidly on one's kitchen counter, one tends to think of sweeping, efficient yet delicious ways to capture their fresh taste and make the heap smaller without too much effort.  Soups and sauces are the usual options, and for good reason.  They're scrumptious.

Once I got going with the whole quartering-the-tomatoes process for this recipe, I looked over and saw the pluots and plums lying there, and decided to roast a plum with the toms instead of adding the tablespoon of honey called for. 

And I don't mess around trying to pour hot soup into a blender ... I use an immersion blender that I discovered my husband had, after we married.  "I'll never use that," I thought.  Ha!  I use it all the time.

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ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH GOAT CHEESE
From Lucid Food by Louisa Shafia

Make sure you have enough liquid (about 3 inches or so, or enough to fully cover the head of the blender) before you start the immersion blender.  If the liquid is too shallow, the blender will fling it around your kitchen.

12 ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon honey (or roast a pitted plum or pluot with the toms)
2 springs fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more for garnish
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup fresh goat cheese

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Core and quarter tomatoes, and remove and reserve the seeds for the stock.  In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the garlic, onion, honey (if using) or pitted, halved plum, rosemary, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and a dash of salt.  Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the rosemary .

Combine the tomato seeds, bay leaf, and 1 cup water in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.  Strain the stock into a bowl.  Rinse the pot and return the stock to it, and add the roasted tomatoes.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Turn heat off and let soup cool a tiny bit.  Add goat cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and blend 'til smooth with an immersion blender.  Or pour the soup carefully into a blender or food processor and blend 'til smooth.  Season to taste with salt, and reheat a bit if necessary.

Garnish each bowl with a few drops of balsamic vinegar, a few grinds of black pepper, and perhaps a little rosemary if you wish.

Makes 4 servings.

Eggplant and Potato Gratin

A total departure from cheesy gratins, this dairy-free recipe is one of those serendipitous discoveries that I can't imagine not having found. I make it every year about this time when all the fresh vegetables in it start showing up at the farmers' markets. Everything in this dish except the olive oil, salt and pepper was locally grown.

This gratin truly illustrates the rich depth and mingling of flavors achievable with a simple preparation and ingredients that compliment each other. Be sure to use a really good olive oil.

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EGGPLANT AND POTATO GRATIN
From The Vegetarian Bistro by Marlena Spieler

If time is short or you are using potatoes that take longer to cook, like Yukon Golds, you can microwave the casserole for about 15 minutes to get it heated up, then put it in the oven to finish.

1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed and cut into strips
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1 cup drained, diced tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
Several large pinches of dried thyme (be generous here)

1 eggplant, stem end trimmed, sliced lengthwise 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick
2-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Using 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, saute the onion and red pepper in a medium skillet 'til softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, two thirds of the garlic, salt to taste, and the thyme. Cook briefly and set aside.

Brush or rub eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides, and cook them on a griddle until lightly browned on both sides. Alternatively, broil the slices under the broiler. I suspect you could get away with not pre-grilling the eggplant slices, but I haven't tried it.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 3- or 4-quart casserole dish. Place one third of the potatoes in a layer on the bottom, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Layer on half the eggplant, another third of the potatoes, and the remaining eggplant.

Spread the tomato mixture over the eggplant, then toss the remaining potatoes in a bowl with the remaining garlic and olive oil, and spread them over the eggplant.

Sprinkle the final potato layer with salt and pepper, and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake for 1 hour or until the top is golden and the potatoes are cooked through. Cover with foil if top gets too brown before potatoes are done. Test by inserting a paring knife down through the center of the gratin; it should meet little resistance. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Quinoa Tabouli

You've seen them. Bunches of green stuff that hang out of baskets and lie around in heaps at the farmers' markets. Parsley, mint, cilantro, green onions, and so forth. And the bagged greens, which the farmer has so considerately captured for you to take home. But what to do with them!

Fret no more. Boldly wash and chop and mix and enjoy!

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QUINOA TABOULI
Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

I had been wondering if quinoa could be substituted for bulgur, and yay! It can! Just make sure you watch carefully near the end of cooking so you can keep it fluffy, with grains separate, and not soggy and in clumps.

2 cups quinoa
5 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large garlic clove, crushed or very finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly-ground black pepper

1 bunch parsley, washed, big stem ends removed, and spun dry
1 bunch mint, washed, leaves removed, and spun dry

1 bag of arugula, washed, thick stems removed, spun dry and sliced

1 small sweet onion, minced, or a bunch of green onions, with some of green parts, sliced

2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, diced

Rinse the quinoa 'til water is clear. Place in pot with water and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, stirring now and then, 'til liquid is almost gone, about 15 minutes. Each time you stir, level out the quinoa in the pot afterward. Watch carefully for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, and when liquid has been reduced practically to nothing, remove quinoa from heat and stir to fluff. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Blend cooled quinoa into the dressing in the large bowl. Stir in the parsley, mint, arugula, onion, tomatoes and cucumbers. You can also add bell peppers, zucchini, or other vegetables that you like. Serve the salad cold or at room temperature.

Hint: You can put the parsley and mint, and green onions if using, into a food processor and pulse 'til it's all a lovely green fluff.

Makes 8 generous servings

Bacon, Arugula and Tomato Sandwiches

I don't necessarily care for the term "foodie." Shouldn't we all be interested in what we eat? With health news blaring from major headlines, and proliferations of willy-nilly what-to-eat-or-not guidelines clogging the air and e-waves, it's kind of hard not to think about what we're eating.

Michael Pollan says that decades ago, we started listening to scientists' incomplete data and food marketers' dollar-driven claims that this or that food will either make us a centenarian or drop us in our tracks. Instead of paying attention to what we see, and to our ancestors' wisdom, we trust the trumpeters of self-serving hype.

I say, calm down. Gather in local foods, and share them with friends and family. Eat your fresh, thoughtfully-prepared foods slowly and appreciatively in reasonable amounts. Enjoy the occasional treat. Listen to your common sense.

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BACON, ARUGULA AND TOMATO SANDWICHES

The arugula really adds a spicy touch that lettuce can't hold a candle to.

Four slices of really good bread
Enough Dijon mustard to spread thinly on each slice
Enough washed and spun arugula to cover the bread slices
Enough tomatoes to slice thickly and put on top of the arugula
Enough crisply fried bacon to put a couple or three slices on top of the tomatoes

Makes four extremely hearty servings. You won't want much else except a slice of fresh, local watermelon for dessert. Or a nectarine. Or cantaloupe ...

Sardinian-Style Raw Tomato Sauce with Pasta

It is appropriate that this, the finest fresh tomato dish in my repertoire, comes from Marcella Hazan, one of the most respected Italian cooks of all time. The discovery of this dish in one of her cookbooks was a sublime moment. Little did I realize at the time that this recipe would for years enrich many a summer evening meal with the sweet, bursting, just-picked-ripe taste of tomatoes and a restrained touch of basil, garlic and Parmesan.

The key to this dish is the tomatoes. They must be perfect. As well, one must refrain from "Americanizing" it; the temptation is to load it with pesto, more olives, more garlic ... but this is a true Italian dish whose tastes need to be experienced intentionally, slowly. It has deep character to be unfolded and discovered, like watching a Merchant-Ivory film, rather than the blatant in-your-face obviousness of a James Cameron film.

But I digress. Do pick up some of the wonderful fresh tomatoes at our local farmers' markets and try this dish.

Tonight, I discovered I only had rigatoni pasta on hand, and it worked fine.

Here's a funny interview conducted with Marcella as she tastes Olive Garden's "Tuscan" fare.
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SARDINIAN-STYLE RAW TOMATO SAUCE WITH PASTA
Adapted from Marcella Cucina by Marcella Hazan

The original recipe called for parsley, not basil, and did not call for crushed red pepper. Tonight I forgot to add the olive oil entirely, and we didn't miss it at all. If you're watching calories, just leave it out!

1-1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
10 Kalamata olives
3 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
1/2 cup Parmesan or other aged hard cheese, such as Asiago, plus some for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (this will create a noticeable heat)
1 teaspoon salt
A few grinds of black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced

1 pound dried pasta such as fusilli, rotini, farfelle, or penne

Wash and stem cherry tomatoes, and cut in half, or in four wedges if they are large. Put them in a large mixing bowl.

Slice olives into quarters, and add to the tomato mixture along with the olive oil, cheese, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper.

Stir the tomato mixture well and let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and preferably 2 hours.

When ready to serve, cook pasta. Drain pasta and put it into the mixing bowl with the tomato mixture and stir sauce and pasta together.

Stir in the basil. Sprinkle the pasta mixture with a little more cheese, and serve.

Serves six.

Spicy, Gingery Chard with Eggs

How could I have gone so long on this blog without mentioning Martha? Years ago I found an Indian-spiced, curried-tomatoes-with-egg dish in her magazine, but tonight I had CHARD to use up. Gorgeous, rainbow-stemmed organic chard. Seemed to me chard would work just as well as the main ingredient, and it most definitely did.

This makes a great, quick dinner. I served it with whole wheat chapati (really just whole-wheat tortillas from the health food store freezer section) and sliced mango. I know! I should be using local fruit! But when I go to Costco I can't resist their lovely champagne mangoes ... they are buttery soft, sweet and flavorful. Besides, it's good to let one's local nectarines and cantaloupes ripen for another day.

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SPICY, GINGERY CHARD WITH EGGS
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Garam masala is a mellow Indian spice mixture that I prefer over the turmeric and cumin called for. It has a wonderfully, slightly sweet, spicy complexity.

1 tablespoon ghee, coconut oil, or vegetable oil
3 small bunches tender, young chard
2 fresh tomatoes
1/2 of a red onion, diced, or a few shallots

1 tablespoon garam masala, or curry powder, or a mixture of turmeric and cumin
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 serrano pepper, chopped (seeded if it's too hot)

Salt and pepper

3 to 5 fresh eggs

Wash chard, trim stem ends, and tear leaves away from stems. Chop the stems in 1/2-inch pieces, and pile the leaves in a big bowl. Run your kitchen shears through chard leaves a few times to chop them down.

Chop the garlic, ginger and serrano in a small food processor or by hand.

In large skillet, heat oil on medium heat, and add chopped chard stems and onion. Cook for a few minutes until onions begin to soften.

Sprinkle the garam masala over the tomato mixture, and stir for a minute or so to toast the spice and bring out the flavor. Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook for a few minutes to release tomato juices. Stir in the chopped ginger, garlic and serrano. Add a little water if mixture is dry.

When tomato mixture is bubbling nicely, toss in the chopped chard leaves, and cover for a few minutes, letting the chard cook down. Stir, and continue cooking until chard is wilted and cooked. Make sure there's enough liquid in the pan to keep all from sticking.

Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Stir, then make 3 or 5 (depending on how many eggs you are using) indentions in the chard with a large spoon.

Break each egg into a small bowl, then tip into an indention. Cover pan and let eggs simmer for 5 minutes, or until whites are set. It's nice to have the yolks be a little runny (I think), but you may feel differently.

You can sprinkle a little cilantro over the top if you have some. I didn't, and didn't miss it.

Serves 2 to 4.

Fresh Corn with Tomato and Basil

Years ago I ran across a recipe for a pizza made with these wonderful summer ingredients, and when I made it, the taste was sublime. But it was 104 degrees outside yesterday, and turning on the oven was just not going to happen. 'Why not forgo the crust?' thought I, and in just a few minutes this delectable dish was ready.

This is 'Sugar Dot' corn from Cool Slice Produce on Road 48 and Court Street in Pasco. It's so perfect and delicious that I usually don't bother buying any other kind.

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FRESH CORN WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

8 ears fresh corn
2 teaspoons butter or ghee
1 or two fresh tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup smoked goat jack or other smoky cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons basil, sliced
Salt and pepper

Cut the corn from the cob. I do this in a large bowl, holding the cob at an angle and slicing downward with a sharp knife. When the kernels are removed, run the knife blade upward around the cob to squeeze out the creamy corn juice, too.

Place corn in skillet, and dot with butter or ghee. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat gently on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until corn is lightly cooked, about 5 minutes. If corn sticks, add a little water.

Smooth corn and sprinkle with half the basil and half the cheese. Arrange sliced tomatoes on top, and sprinkle over the remaining basil and remaining cheese. Cover and heat just until tomatoes are warmed.

Makes about two generous or four medium servings.

Summer's Best Greek Salad

When all its ingredients are at the peak of fresh perfection, this salad is to swoon over. I do take it for granted that anyone reading this blog knows what it is to swoon, I mean really swoon, while eating something like this.

The recipe was discovered, I think, in the Tri-City Herald years ago by my Mom, and we have tweaked it through the years to suit our fancies. You can add a dollop of olive oil, but I find the feta provides plenty of smoothness and flavor.

I served this salad with braised natural sausages, fresh corn on the cob, and watermelon. Summer dinner at its finest, brought to you by local farmers!

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SUMMER'S BEST GREEK SALAD

Fresh, fresh ripe tomatoes
Fresh green peppers
Fresh cucumbers
Fresh Walla Walla or other sweet onions

Kalamata olives, whole or halved
Lemon juice
Fresh or dried oregano
Feta cheese, crumbled

Prepare equal amounts of the tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, cutting them into equally-sized chunks and placing them in a bowl sized suitably for the amount of salad you are making.

Add sweet onion to your taste, either cut into chunks the same size as the other vegetables, or diced finely so they blend in.

Add kalamata olives to your taste, and stir the salad gently. Sprinkle fresh chopped or dried oregano lightly over the salad, and add a dollop of lemon juice. Add as much crumbled feta cheese as suits your taste. Stir gently but thoroughly. The salad keeps very well but is best when made fresh.

Tomato Salad with fresh Herbs

There it was ... a basket of fresh tomatoes hiding around the skirts of the Schreiber and Sons booth at last Friday's market. My own tomatoes are looking pathetic, but one Sunsugar vine had produced three tiny, sweet, golden orbs.

When tomatoes are this fresh, they really don't need any help, but sometimes a gentle dressing can lift the tomato taste, especially if basil is involved.

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TOMATO SALAD WITH FRESH HERBS

For each serving:

One or two fresh tomatoes, sliced, arranged in a single layer on a plate.

In a small bowl, mix:

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon agave syrup or sugar
a generous pinch of salt

To the vinegar mixture, add:

2 tablespoons chopped red (or green) onion

Let the vinegar mellow the onions for a few minutes. Spread the onion/vinegar mixture over the tomatoes, and scatter salad with:

Chopped fresh basil and oregano

It's fine to let this salad sit at room temperature whilst the rest of dinner is prepared.

Spaghetti with Shrimp, Clams and Scallops

A while back I posted about our local Northwest Seafood Market, and last weekend I sought out their fresh clams and shrimp for a special birthday dinner. This recipe is from a lovely, lush cookbook called The Food of Italy, and just looking through it makes you want to rush into the kitchen and start cooking. The book's picture of this dish inspired my friend to comment how delicious and Italian it looked, so it seemed like destiny that she should have it for her birthday dinner!

And so her mother and I had great fun cooking this delectable dish. We made adjustments to the original because we both prefer a generous amount of sauce to a more spartan amount of pasta. As well, we omitted the squid tubes and baby octopus, and upped the quantity of other seafood.

For such an innocent-looking dish, it packs a lot of flavor from the saffron, garlic, and seafood. It's definitely a keeper, and quite suitable for special-occasion dinners!

This amount will serve about 12 people, but the recipe is easily halved.

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SPAGHETTI WITH SHRIMP, CLAMS AND SCALLOPS
Adapted from The Food of Italy

2 cups dry white wine
2 generous pinches of saffron threads

4 pounds clams
2 pounds shrimp, shelled and cleaned
1 pound scallops, cleaned

1-1/2 pounds dry spaghetti

5 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
1 28-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 14-ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chopped parsley

Lemon wedges to serve

Put the wine and saffron in a bowl and allow to steep.

Clean clams, scrubbing if necessary. Rinse well and discard any that are broken or open and don't close when tapped on counter. Place clams in large pot with 1-1/2 cups water. Cover and turn heat to high, cooking for 2-3 minutes or until all clams open. Remove clams from liquid, and reserve liquid. Remove clams from shells, discarding any that don't open, and set clam meat aside.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water, timing it to be done when you are ready to mix it with the finished tomato/seafood mixture.

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven (we used a 12-quart one) and add garlic and both cans of tomatoes, and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. Pour in the saffron-infused wine and the reserved clam liquid. (We only used about a half cup of the clam liquid, but that was just us.) Simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add the shrimp and cook until all shrimp begin to turn pink, then add the clam meat and scallops, cooking and stirring occasionally until shrimp are thoroughly pink and scallops are opaque.

Stir in the parsley, and add the drained, cooked pasta and gently mix well. Turn out onto very large platter or into a large serving bowl. We dusted the top with grated Parmesan cheese, and very pretty it was. Garnish with lemon wedges or serve them separately.

Chickpea and Pear Olla

Exploring ideas for a dish that would combine my CSA pears and onions, I happened upon one that would also include my CSA chickpeas. An olla is a "soupy legume stew," and has many versions depending on the region of Spain in which it originates.

I simply cannot resist trying recipes with ingredients that are all over the map like this. The lure is the possibility of a new favorite dish, unusual and intriguing. Of course, the dish may also bomb. This olla did not. The flavors blended amazingly well into a savory, rustic stew with a subtle fruity tone and several layers of flavor. Very interesting technique to fry and chop the garlic, and add it just before serving. I'll definitely make this again.

I'd saved my two least-ripe CSA pears in the fridge, and they were still quite firm. Having no squash on hand of any type, I substituted sweet potato for the pumpkin/butternut squash. The CSA chickpeas, according the farmer's e-mail, are a special variety prized in Spain, and the seeds were brought from there. They are a tad more dainty than common chickpeas.
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CHICKPEA AND PEAR OLLA (Olla Gitana or "Gypsy Pot")
Adapted from The New Spanish Table by Anya von Bremzen

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch chunks
9-10 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 pound pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch chunks
10 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 small, slightly under-ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
10 whole blanched almonds (boil for one minute in water, then slip skins off)

3/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon sweet (not smoked or hot) paprika
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or one 14-oz. can diced tomatoes)
1 medium pinch of saffron (a loose teaspoon), pulverized in a mortar and steeped in 3 tablespoons very hot water
About two teaspoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons slivered fresh mint

In a 5-quart pot over high heat, bring chickpeas, carrot and 6 cups chicken stock to a boil. Skim off any foam, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1 hour or until chickpeas are tender.

Add 3 cups more stock along with pumpkin, green beans and pears. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I used 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetable are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Remove with slotted spoon to small bowl. Add almonds and cook until golden. Remove with slotted spoon to small bowl with garlic.

To skillet, add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring. Add paprika and stir for a few seconds, then add tomatoes (undrained if using canned) and stir, cooking for a few minutes until liquid begins to reduce.

Add tomato mixture and saffron water to the chickpeas. Continue cooking until vegetables are very soft and the pumpkin is falling apart, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken broth if stew seems too thick.

Finely chop the almonds and garlic in a small food processor. Stir them into the chickpea mixture. Add two teaspoons vinegar, and taste for salt, pepper and vinegar, adjusting as necessary.

Let stew cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle mint over the top and serve the olla with crusty bread.