Lamb Recipe Search
Chickpea Stew with Lamb Meatballs
A great, spicy stew for a chilly day.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
400g minced lamb
1 small onion, peeled and grated
30g fresh white breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg yolk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoon olive oil
For the Stew
2 onions, peeled and finely diced
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 small red chilli, membrane and seeds removed, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 400g tin plum tomatoes
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
150g dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked (see below) (or a 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
250g spinach or chard, tough stalks removed and roughly shredded
1 large bunch parsley, tough stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
First make the meatballs.
In a bowl, combine the lamb, onion, breadcrumbs, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, egg yolk, salt and pepper, mixing it with your hands until just combined.
Fry a small piece of the mixture to check for seasoning, and adjust the remaining mix as necessary.
Wet your hands and roll the rest of the mix into small meatballs about the size of a walnut.
Warm half the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, and fry the meatballs in batches until lightly browned on all sides, about five minutes.
Set aside.
Next, make the stew.
Warm the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat and fry the onions gently with the bay leaves and thyme, stirring from time to time, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.
Add the garlic, chilli and cumin, and fry for a minute.
Add the tomatoes (crushing them roughly against the side of the pan with a fork), stock and chickpeas.
Season and bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add the meatballs to the stew and simmer,uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add the spinach or chard and half of the parsley,and simmer for 10 minutes.
Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve with the rest of the parsley sprinkled over the top.
When you're buying dried ones, lookout for a shop with a high turnover, chickpeas that have been hanging around for a few years will never reach the desirable state of tenderness,no matter how long you soak or simmer them. And when buying the tinned or bottled kind, make sure they're preserved only in salt and water.
When you're cooking your own, soak them overnight in a generous amount of cold water. Next day, drain and put them in a large pan with fresh water (don't add salt at this stage, as it makes the skins tough) and bring to a simmer, skimming off any scum that rises to the top.
Cook for about two hours, until they're very soft, then leave to cool in the cooking water they'll continue to swell a bit and become ever more tender. They're now ready to add to other dishes or to enjoy just as they are, still warm, tossed in a little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, some chopped parsley, flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 4 - 6
Recipe Books Search
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's chickpea recipes. River Cottage Veg Everyday recipe book
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