Chickpea and Spinach Stew from Food and Wine

This is a recipe for a tasty chickpea stew that was riffed off a Food and Wine recipe. I added a couple tablespoons tomato paste and a couple cups chicken stock. It was simmered uncovered for a while to let the flavors marry. We served it over rice cooked in chicken stock.

Chickpea and Spinach Stew from Food and Wine

 Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 10 ounces leaf spinach 
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• Kosher salt
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper
• Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas with their liquid
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato—peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup golden raisins 
• 2-3 tbl spoons tomato paste
• rice
• 1 cup (+ whatever is needed for rice) chicken stock

Process
1. Prepare the rice and cook, according to instructions, in chicken stock in place of water.
2. Pour the water into a large deep skillet and bring to a boil. 
3. Add the spinach leaves and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until wilted. (~2 minutes)
4. Drain the spinach in a colander and press to extract the liquid. 
5. Coarsely chop the spinach. 
6. Take the mashed garlic and mix it with the salt and saffron. Mix into a paste.  
7. Transfer paste to a small bowl. Add the paprika, cumin, cloves and black pepper and mash together until thoroughly combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chickpea liquid. 
8. Wipe out the skillet. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. 
9. Add the onion and tomato and cook over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until softened (~3 minutes). 
10. Add the garlic mash to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. 
11. Add the chickpeas to the skillet. 
12. Add the raisins and bring to a boil over medium high heat. 
13. Add 2-3 tomato paste to thicken.
14. Add the spinach and reduce heat to medium and SIMMER for 15 minutes. 
15. Add chicken stock to achieve desired saucy-ness.  
16. Lay out serving dishes and fill with the rice cooked in chicken stock. Add chickpea stew to bowls. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve.