Summer Chickpea Stew

Sometimes the vegetable garden takes a little break and production slows for a few days. The harvest might be limited to one tomato, a zucchini and some herbs. Don't despair. Add some canned beans for a simple home-cooked stew that tastes of summer.

Spoon it over brown rice for a satisfying supper for two, or serve it as a vegetable side-dish for four. Even people who think they don't like beans will enjoy this meal.

This recipe works fine with canned chickpeas (also called garbanzos), just rinse them well before you use them.

Dry chickpeas seem to take longer to cook than other dried beans, so I use the quick-soak method. Put them in a pan of water, bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat, cover the pot and let the beans sit in the water for an hour. The chickpeas will have expanded a lot. Drain them, then cook in boiling water until tender, probably another 45 minutes to an hour. For this stew you want them cooked through but still firm. Drain and use fresh, or freeze until you need them.

Summer Chickpea Stew
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/4" thick
3 mushrooms, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 can chickpeas (or 1/3 cup dry, cooked)
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1 tomato, chopped

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté oregano and garlic one minute. Add zucchini, mushrooms and chickpeas, stirring well to coat with oil and herbs. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is tender, under 10 minutes. Add the fresh tomato and mint and cook another five minutes. Add a little water at any time to prevent sticking. Serve warm.