Chickpea and Mussel Stew

Ingredients

• 2 cups (400g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight 2 cups (400g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 kg fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded 1 kg fresh mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes
• 4 cups (950ml) vegetable broth 4 cups (950ml) vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish) Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 380 kcal / 1590 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 8g, 1g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 55g, 10g
• Protein: 24g
• Fiber: 12g
• Salt: 1.5g

Preparation

1. 1.
   Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Set aside.
2. 2.
   In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until fragrant and translucent.
3. 3.
   Add the carrots, celery, and red bell pepper to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
4. 4.
   Stir in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, paprika, dried thyme, bay leaf, and soaked chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. 5.
   Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the chickpeas are tender.
6. 6.
   Add the cleaned mussels to the pot and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the mussels have opened.
7. 7.
   Discard any mussels that have not opened. Remove the bay leaf from the stew.
8. 8.
   Serve the Chickpea and Mussel Stew hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Chickpeas — Make sure to soak the dried chickpeas overnight to ensure they cook evenly and become tender.
• Mussels — Clean and debeard the mussels before adding them to the stew to remove any grit or sand.

Tips & Tricks

• For a richer flavor, you can add a splash of white wine to the stew before adding the vegetable broth.
• Serve the stew with crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth.
• If fresh mussels are not available, you can use frozen mussels, but make sure to thaw them before adding them to the stew.
• Customize the stew by adding other vegetables such as zucchini or potatoes.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and make for a delicious next-day meal.

Serving advice

Serve the Chickpea and Mussel Stew in deep bowls, allowing the flavors to meld together. Garnish with fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness.

Presentation advice

To enhance the presentation, arrange a few cooked mussels on top of each serving and sprinkle some additional chopped parsley. Serve with a side of crusty bread for dipping.