basque garbanzo stew

Crock 'n' Roll

It takes a couple of minutes in the morning to cut up ingredients and get them into your Crock-Pot, but six hours later, you've created a meal that tastes as if you had slaved all day.

And I thought our family schedule was crazy before! Our son, Joseph, starts high school this year. The challenge used to be to find things for him to do after school. Now we have to figure out how to get him to and from various social, educational and recreational events. Like so many families today, we gather around the kitchen table to synchronize our calendars. We need a social secretary - and a personal chef!

It's not likely that we'll be hiring a household manager to coordinate our schedules, but I think I have the cook thing figured out. Down in the basement, we have a magical machine that cooks dinner while you are out of the house and keeps the finished dish hot and ready to serve for hours. It's a programmable Crock-Pot. Yes, a timer has been added to that old kitchen stand-by, the slow cooker, and now you can set it to cook and then hold your meal so it is ready when you are. Almost everyone can spare a few minutes in the morning to assemble the ingredients for a Crock-Pot dinner. Once you experience the thrill of coming home to a house filled with delicious aromas and a meal ready to serve, you'll find a permanent place on the counter for your slow cooker. Serve this hearty chicken and garbanzo-bean stew to your busy family, and everyone will wonder where you're hiding the new cook.

Crock Pot Tips: Here are a few features to look for in case you are one of the 12 people in America who don't already own several slow cookers:

A heavy, removable, ceramic or pottery insert. This will ensure slow, even cooking.
At least a 5- or 6-quart capacity. That's what you'll need to make dinner for four with leftovers.
Multiple heat settings. They used to just have high and low. The newer models give you more choices plus the option of timed cooking and a "stay warm" setting.

I've never been a fan of big, gooey desserts. A double espresso and a biscotti are just the right touch to cap off a luxurious meal. That's why I love this simple almond tart that is common in the Basque country of Spain. The pure flavors of almond and lemon come through without any cloying sweetness. And, although it is called a tart, there is no crust to make!

Basque Garbanzo Stew Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 large onion, diced into large pieces 1 pound peeled and cut carrots 24 stalks of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 chicken breasts cut into 2-inch pieces 1/2 pound pepperoni slices 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup red wine 1 (28-ounce) can peeled plum tomatoes, roughly broken up 2 (15-ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed	Instructions: Set the slow cooker on high. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the bottom of the crock. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the chicken and pepperoni and sauté over high heat until the chicken starts to brown. Add the chicken and pepperoni to the crock. Return the skillet to the heat and sprinkle in the flour. When the flour starts to brown, deglaze with the wine. Add the wine sauce and the tomatoes to the crock along with the drained beans. Give the pot a good stir. Put the lid on and set to low. Continue cooking at least 6 hours on low. Serve with rice or crusty bread and salad.
Almond Tart
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons softened butter 8 ounces slices almonds 1 cup sugar Zest of 1 lemon 4 eggs 3 egg yolks 1/2 cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 pinch salt	Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter a 9-inch pie pan. Put the almonds, sugar and lemon zest into the bowl of a food processor and blend until the almonds are very fine. Add the eggs and egg yolks and process until a batter forms. In another bowl mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Fold in the egg mixture until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Pour into the pie pan and smooth the top. Bake on the center rack for around 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Top with a little powdered sugar or a small scoop of dulce de leche ice cream. More Recipes Printer Friendly Page