Baker Street Stew

When I lived in London, a very long time ago, I joked that I lived on their amazing fat-laden chocolate (do you know that it has a higher fat content there…or did in the 1980’s) and tea.  Oh, and plain chocolate McVities biscuits.  Oh how I adored those biscuits.  Sitting in my flat with a pot of tea and those biscuits writing dark and dreary and depressing poetry.  I was so emo and I had no idea what emo even was!

One of the dinners that my flatmates and I used to make for one another was something that I later learned was a fairly basic family meal from many European cultures.  I’m unsure who in the flat introduced this first, but we all perfected it over our time living together.  We ate it at least once a week and it was, no doubt, because the bread in London?  It’s also much better.  And when you’ve got some left over crusty bits, those bits are just perfect for this particular dish.

Let’s call this dish Baker Street Stew.  I know that’s not what it probably is really called, but I lived at the Baker Street Tube stop when I learned to make it and perfected it.  It’s a hearty dish and can be served on its own or I had a flatmate who enjoyed frying an egg and plopping that right on top of his dish.

Herewith, exactly how I make it.

• 1 1/4 cups chickpeas
• 1/4 cup or so of really yummy olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
• 1/2 pound fresh spinach
• 4 slices or so of just stale bread (cut into cubes)
• 1 shallot minced (about 4 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons fresh pimento diced
• splash of sherry vinegar

Sort the chickpeas to remove any “rocks” and then soak covered in water over night.  (You can cheat with this recipe and used canned garbanzo beans, and if you do, you just need to adjust the recipe for having already cooked chickpeas).

To cook the chickpeas, first drain and rinse them.  Then combine in a large heavy pot with 2 1/2 quarts of water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer for about two hours.  You want the beans to be tender.  You will need to keep a casual eye on the beans and every once in a while you’ll want to add a 1/4 cup or so of cold water to the pot to slow down the simmer and to keep the beans “covered”.  When the beans are cooked, the water should just be barely covering them.  At this point, turn off the heat and just allow the beans to sit.

Gather a heavy frying pan and over medium heat (not too hot, honestly) brown the garlic cloves.  You want to keep them whole, but it is okay to sort of “mash” them a bit as you brown them.  This infuses the oil with the garlic flavor.  Once browned, scoop out and put the garlic cloves into the mortar of your mortar and pestle.  (I hope you have a mortar and pestle.  If you do not, can I suggest that you might want to think about getting one?  They’re really useful!).  Next into the oil goes the bread cubes.  Again, brown on all sides.  Just brown.  Don’t toast.  When browned, put the cubes in your mortar, as well.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly and then in goes the minced shallots.  Saute these until just translucent and then add in the cumin seeds and paprika.  Keep stirring and it will start to resemble a roux.  Now add in the pimentos.  Keep the heat quite low and do not overcook.  End with the splash of vinegar.

Remove all of that from the heat and set aside.

Mash the bread cubes and garlic in your mortar and pestle into a thick paste.  It does not have to be smooth.  In fact, I usually leave a few of the bread cubes aside and just throw them into the stew whole.

Bring the chickpeas back to a low boil and add in the fresh spinach, the garlic/bread mash, and the pimento spice mix.  Mix well to blend everything together as the spinach wilts.  It will all blend together to form a thick, yummy, stew.  You may wish to add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

It’s now ready to serve.

Music to play while you’re cooking:  Pet Shop Boys (It was London in the 80’s!)

As I mentioned, one of my flatmates was insistent upon eating this with a runny fried egg served on top.  I don’t like eggs (and they’re certainly not vegan) so I have never had it that way.

This meal will easily serve four very hungry twenty-somethings living on the kindness of strangers in a shared flat in London.  Often.  I made it on Monday evening with items I had on hand in the kitchen.  Also, it’s cheap!  I used all organic ingredients (like always) but I am certain this meal even using all organics was under $10.

Total yum.