There are many different ways to dress up this filling and healthy trifecta, but here are two. Both begin with soaking and cooking garbanzos — or opening a can.
Portugese-Style Stew
Clean and dice 1 leek. Scrub and dice 3 carrots. Saute the vegetables in a heavy pot in 3 T. olive oil until tender, then add 2 minced cloves of garlic, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and 2 t. chopped fresh rosemary. Cook another 2 minutes, then add 2 C. vegetable broth.
Dice potatoes to make 2 C. Add to the soup along with 1/2 C. chopped canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer until the spuds are tender. Add 2 C. cooked garbanzos.
Meanwhile, remove the stems from 1 bunch of kale and chop the leaves roughly. You can either saute the kale first and add just before serving, or add it to the soup while it is cooking.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with grated Manchego or Parmesan cheese.
Tamarind Curry
Soak 4 T. seedless Tamarind pulp(available in specialty store) in 3 T. water for 30 minutes.
Saute 1 C. cleaned, diced leek in 2 T. olive oil until tender. Add 1 1/2 t. coriander powder and 2 t. caraway seeds and continue to cook over low heat until the leeks begin to brown.
Add one 14-oz can of chopped tomatoes and their juices and stir a few times. Add 2 C. water, 2 C. cooked garbanzos, and 1 lb. diced potatoes. Strain the tamarind water through a sieve and add to the pot.
Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Remove the stems from 1 bunch of kale. Saute it and add it to the stew. Season with salt and pepper.