Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 6 small globe eggplants (each measuring about 8” long by 4” wide at the base)
  • 4 medium red bell peppers
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups yellow onions (chopped)
  • 6 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
  • 1 Tbsp ras el hanout
  • 1 Tbsp harissa (or make your own!)
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 4 cups water or vegetable broth
  • 6 medium tomatoes or 3 large tomatoes (chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • 2 ½ tsp lemon juice
  • 3 Tbsp mint
  • 3 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
  • Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Instruction

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Puncture five of the eggplant in a few places with a knife and lay on the baking sheet. Broil for 1 hour or until completely blackened. They should feel hollow when their skin is pressed.
  • When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, slice off their tops and bottoms, and cut in half. Take each half and spread it out in your hands to reveal layers of seed strands. Remove as many of the seeds as easily possible and coarsely chop the meat.
  • Broil the red peppers on the same baking sheet until completely blackened. Turn them over a few times to blacken on all sides. Chop off their tops, peel and remove the seeds. Coarsely chop.
  • Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the chopped onion (it should sizzle when it hits the oil) and sauté until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Don’t move the onion around too much or it won’t brown. Add the minced garlic and cook another two minutes.
  • Add the cumin, paprika and ras el hanout and sauté another five minutes to toast the spices. It should be very fragrant. Add the harissa, cook another minute, and then add the red wine, water/broth, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, lemon juice, and mint. Fold in the chopped roasted eggplant and red peppers. Gently simmer for ten minutes to begin to meld the flavors.
  • Using a blender, food processor, or my personal favorite – an immersion blender, purée the stew until thick and fairly smooth. There will be a rough texture to the purée, giving it a rustic look.
  • Cut the final eggplant into 2/3” dice. Heat the remaining two tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan and add the eggplant. Sauté until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. You may need to do this in batches and add a little olive oil between batches.
  • Add the sautéed eggplant and chickpeas to the stew, and gently simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Serve hot with crusty bread and a light salad. Garnish with chopped mint or a drizzle of a good Balsamic vinegar.