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Chickpeas in a romesco sauce

2011 October 17
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by admin

My husband travels for work sometimes.  Generally it is within driving distance so I make sure to send him on the road with delicious home cooked meals for him to eat alone in the hotel room so he can remember why he married me.
chickpeasromescosauce

I also make sure to have a nice meal waiting for him when he gets home after the long car trip as well.  Even though you’re just sitting in the car, traveling is an exhausting chore and I know he looks forward to whatever dinner I’ve concocted for his return.

When I first started doing this, it was usually something meaty, like meatloaf or pot roast.  At the time I was a vegetarian and had plenty of time to prepare a meal I wasn’t going to eat anyway in the days that he was absent.
chickpeasinaromescosauce

These days I’m sinfully more busy than I used to be so those days of cooking two meals for two people are gone.  Still, I want to make sure that the dinner that’s waiting for him when he arrives home after a business trip is exactly what he’s craving.

Now I wouldn’t call this meal comfort food.  But those were the first words out of the Omnivore’s mouth when he took a bite.  Pasta and red sauce I guess screams ‘home’ to him.  I served my dish vegan but added some Parmesan cheese to his, which he really appreciated it.  He claimed the leftovers for his lunch the next day before he’d even finished this dinner – proof that it is a awesome dinner.

Chickpeas in Romesco Sauce (a Veganomicon recipe seen on Cate’s World Kitchen)

Ingredients

1/3 cup blanched almonds
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp white wine (or vegetable broth)
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 roasted red peppers (from a jar or homemade)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
a large pinch dried rosemary
a large pinch dried thyme
4 cups cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

Instructions

  1. Get out your food processor!
  2. Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Pulse the tomatoes with the red peppers in a food processor until pureed.
  4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
  5. Add the onion and garlic.
  6. Cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
  7. Add the white wine (or broth) and scrape the bottom of the pan.
  8. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, rosemary, and thyme and stir well. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
  9. Taste for salt and add about 1/2 tsp if needed.
  10. Stir in the chickpeas and ground almonds, and cook over low, covered, for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  11. Serve over couscous, rice, or pasta.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

from → beans, main dish, Omnivores add: Chicken, Omnivores add: ground meat, Omnivores add: Italian Sausage, pasta, vegan(izable)

  • http://tastespace.wordpress.com janet @ the taste space

    Ah yes, I love this recipe! I can see why he might consider this as comfort food. I think it is awesome to return home to a nice comforting meal.. but you also send him away with goodies, which is especially nice. :)

  • Kate

    I make nice dinners for the husband when I’m going out of town so he remembers why he married me, but I’ve never gone as far as sending him off with meals!

  • http://twitter.com/runningcate Catherine M

    It’s pretty hard to go wrong with carbs + red sauce!

  • Anonymous

    Love the almonds in there to make it rich and nutty. Traveling is exhausting…I would’ve loved to have had this meal on the table when I got back from Chicago yesterday. :)

  • http://www.crumblycookie.net Bridget

    I’ve almost put this dish on my menu several times, but it keeps getting edged out by something else.  I’m glad to hear another positive review of it!

  • http://www.carascravings.com Cara

    You guys are awesome. I love that your husband takes your food on the road; I think mine would relish the opportunity to eat out! (not like we don’t do that enough at home.)