Stewey

I love a good one-pot meal. Especially on weeknights, when I really don't have the time to futz around with high-maintenance food.

I discovered this stew on the Food and Wine Magazine website and adapted it to be less fattening and speedier than the original. You can go from grocery bag to table in about 35 minutes, most of which is unattended. So go ahead, open your mail and water your houseplants.

Chickpea Stew with Spinach and Shrimp
Adapted from this recipe at Food and Wine

The original version of this recipe called for dried chickpeas, but I didn't have that kind of time on my hands this week, so I used the canned variety. The original also called for chorizo instead of shrimp, but the shrimp lighten up the stew and reduce the cooking time.

1/8 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Vidalia onion (or any small yellow onion), finely diced
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 bay leaf
One 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes, chopped, 1 cup juice reserved
1 cup of water
2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
8 large shrimp, cleaned and peeled with the tails left on
2 packed cups of spinach, thick stems discarded
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium-sized, enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, rosemary and bay leaf and cook over moderate heat until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juice, and the water and cook over moderately high heat until sizzling, about 4 minutes. Add the chickpeas, cumin, and paprika and simmer for 20 minutes.

Five minutes before serving, stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Turn off the heat and stir in the shrimp, then cover the pot and let it stand, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Peek in on the shrimp at this point; they should be pink and tender. Season with salt and pepper, then serve in 4 soup bowls, arranging two shrimp in each.

Serves: 4