Caramelized Fennel, Swiss Chard & Chickpea Stew
4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Adopted from original author Meg Kramer of bittertreats.com.
“Caramelized fennel meets tender chickpeas and silky Swiss chard in this brothy, aromatic stew.”
Ingredients
1 fennel bulb with its stems and fronds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
1 can of chickpeas with their liquid
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 bunch of Swiss chard, chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
Prepare the fennel by cutting the stems off of the bulb. Then, slice the bulb into thin wedges, leaving a bit of the base to join the layers of each wedge together. Dice the thickest part of the stems, then finely chop the delicate fronds.
Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a high-walled skillet or braising pan. Then place the fennel bulb wedges in a single flat layer, flipping after about 10 minutes (or when they begin to take on a deep brown color) and repeat on the other side.
Add the onion and fennel stems, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent.
Add the garlic, cherry tomatoes, and the chickpeas with their liquid. Clear a bit of space and break up the bouillon cube a bit into the chickpea liquid. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the Swiss chard and cover to allow the greens to wilt. After a few minutes, uncover and stir occasionally until the chard is evenly wilted but not mushy. Serve immediately.
Notes
For a less-pronounced fennel flavor (but a fancier presentation), remove the fennel slices after caramelizing and set them aside until after the chard is wilted, then place them back into the stew.
Good-quality canned chickpeas are essential for this stew. I've learned the hard way that the cheapest beans at the supermarket do not perform well in this stew. It's so light and brothy that the flavor and texture both need to be on point.
Canned chickpeas and bouillon cubes both contribute sodium to this dish, even though there is no added salt. To cut back, you may use low-sodium chickpeas, and/or omit the bouillon cube, strain the chickpeas, and add about a cup of low-sodium vegetable broth instead.
