Jacy’s Middle-Eastern Fava Bean Stew

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Description

This is called ‘Middle-Eastern’ fava bean stew and not ‘Moroccan’ because I have also borrowed flavors from my Lebanese roots. This stew came to me on a Saturday afternoon when we were desperately low on groceries and had no meat in the freezer. The first time my carnivorous partner tried it, he honestly thought it contained meat. I have made this many times, and he devours it with relish! To make this dish completely vegetarian/vegan, omit the anchovies. Serve with steamed basmati rice, couscous or bulgur.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 pinch coarse sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
  • 2 tablespoons dried red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 anchovy fillets, chopped (Optional)
  • 2 cups diced peeled butternut squash
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • ½ red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans fava beans, drained
  • 1 (14 ounce) can canned tomatoes, diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint (Optional)

Instructions

  1. To make harissa paste: Heat a dry skillet over high heat and add coriander
  2. caraway and cumin seeds. Shake pan gently until spices become fragrant
  3. about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour seeds into mortar and grind with pestle to a fine powder. Add garlic
  4. salt
  5. paprika and dried red pepper flakes
  6. mashing and stirring until garlic is incorporated with the spices. Mixture will be dry and crumbly. Add enough of the 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil until you have a thick paste. Use fewer pepper flakes if you prefer less heat. Set aside.
  7. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large pot and add minced onions and garlic. Cook slowly over low heat until onions are translucent
  8. about 10 minutes. Push onions aside in the pot
  9. and stir in the anchovies. Cook anchovies until they soften
  10. mashing them with the back of a wooden spoon until they dissolve. Stir together with the onion and garlic mixture.
  11. Add the butternut squash
  12. carrots
  13. bell pepper
  14. frozen peas and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Pour in the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about a minute.
  15. Stir in the drained fava beans
  16. diced tomatoes
  17. tomato paste
  18. bay leaf and harissa paste (from step 1). Add brown sugar and pomegranate molasses. Bring back to a simmer
  19. then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours. The long
  20. slow cooking time allows the flavors to deepen.
  21. Just before serving
  22. stir in the chopped parsley. Top with the mint
  23. if you like.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins

Servings: 6

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