There is nothing more Italian in my very non-Italian mind than putting together eggplant and tomatoes. It is this quintessential pairing that makes this vegetarian stew so hearty and delicious. Adding the chickpeas or any other legume, gives it an old-world Tuscan flavor and heartiness, reminiscent of what the farmers, working the beautiful countryside, enjoy as their midday meal. I make this dish for lunch, and usually sauté some dark chicken cutlets and/or stew meat to add to the pot for dinner the next night.
Tuscan Eggplant, Tomato & Chickpea Stew
Servings
4 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion diced
- 1 large red pepper cored, seeded, and cut into 1″ pieces
- 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 2 cups diced tomatoes, fresh or from a can
- 1 cup whole peeled tomatoes, fresh or from a can
- 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2-3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat broiler on high.
- Cut the eggplant crosswise into 1.5 – 2″ cubes and brush both sides with olive oil. Broil until golden on each side. Let cool, and cut into 1″ pieces.
- In a deep saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until slightly wilted. Mix with the red onions, and cook for about 5-6 minutes. Add the red pepper, and sauté for one minute. Add garlic and all the spices and saute for another minute.
- Pour the entire onion mixture into crock pot. Add both types of tomatoes, the eggplant, chickpeas, brown sugar and broth (just enough to cover vegetables).
- Put on high and cook for about 3-4 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Shortcut: To save a little time, you can throw everything in the pot and skip the first step of broiling the eggplant, but the extra flavor of broiling the eggplant first is well worth the effort.
Sorry the recipe has been updated
Where are the ingredients in this recipe you provided??
In step 4 you mention “add the onions” and then later you say “add the red onion”. I only see one ingredient of onions. What is being referred to?
What size crock pot is this meant for?