Loosely based on leblebi, a Tunisian breakfast soup, this chickpeas and escarole stew is a quick and easy one-dish dinner. Chickpeas and escarole are quickly heated in broth, poured over pieces of bread and topped with a variety of garnishes and a sunny poached egg.
Like all dishes that call for broth, this dish is at its best when made with high-quality or homemade stock.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 head escarole, cleaned and chopped or torn into bite-size pieces
- 3 tbsp. distilled white or white wine vinegar
- 4 eggs
- 4 slices (about 1/2-in. thick) country bread, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped capers (optional)
- 1 tsp. freshly ground cumin (optional)
- 1 to 4 tsp. harissa or other hot chile sauce (optional)
Preparation:
- Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chickpeas and escarole and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until escarole wilts and is tender. Keep warm over low heat.
- Meanwhile, bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large frying pan. Add vinegar and crack eggs into water. Cook, undisturbed, 3 minutes for a runny yolk and 5 minutes for a set yolk. Use slotted spoon to transfer eggs to a plate lined with a clean kitchen towel or layers of paper towels. (See this Step-By-Step Guide to Poaching Eggs.)
- Divide bread evenly among 4 soup or pasta plates. Top with chickpea and escarole mixture. Garnish with capers, cumin, and harissa as you like. Top each portion with a poached egg. Serve hot.
Serves 4.
