Eggplant Stew with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Chickpeas
1-1 1/2 lb eggplant
6 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, diced into 1/2-inch squares
1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch triangles
2 tsp paprika
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
5 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and quartered
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 c chopped parsley
Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch slabs, then crosswise into 1/2-inch sticks. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a wide skillet over high heat until hazy. Add the eggplant and stir to distribute the oil. Cook, turning the pieces every few minutes, until golden, about 10 minutes.
Heat the remaining oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, and paprika and sauté until the onion is lightly browned around the edges, 8-10 minutes, adding the garlic during the last few minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, fry it for a minute, then moisten with a few tablespoons of water and scrape up the juices from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, eggplant, chickpeas, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. Stir in the chopped parsley and serve.
From Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Broadway Books, 1997.