Potaje De Garbanzos (Chickpea Stew - Spain)

Ingredients

• 1 lb chickpeas, dried
• 4 cups water
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 lb thick slab bacon or salt pork
• 1 ham bone or beef bone
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (Spanish for authenticity)
• 2 slices bread, 1/2-inch thick (crusty or rustic style)
• 1/4 cup Spanish ham or prosciutto, diced (Spanish mountain cured or prosciutto)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 lb swiss chard or collard greens, coarsely chopped
• 1 lb small red potato, peeled (about 2 inches in diameter or larger potatoes cut in 2 inch chunks)
• salt, to taste
• 10 blanched almonds, finely chopped
• 2 hard-boiled eggs

Directions

1. 1

   Soak the chickpeas overnight in a large pot of cold water to cover; drain.

2. 2

   In the large pot combine chickpeas, 4 cups water, garlic, bay leaves, slab bacon, and bone; bring to a boil, cover and simmer about 1 1/2 hours.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the oil and saute the bread slices until golden on both sides.

4. 4

   Remove and reserve the bread.

5. 5

   Add the ham and onion to the skillet; saute until the onion has wilted.

6. 6

   Stir in the paprika, and remove the pan from the heat.

7. 7

   Add the onion mixture to the chickpeas.

8. 8

   Add the greens, potatoes, and salt to taste to the chickpeas and continue cooking 30 minutes or more, or until the chickpeas and potatoes are tender.

9. 9

   Remove the ham or beef bone.

10. 10

    In a mortar or food processor, combine the sauteed bread, almonds, 2 Tablespoons of the chickpeas from the pot, and the yolks of the hard-boiled eggs; mash to a paste.

11. 11

    Stir the paste into the stew, cover and let sit 10 minutes before serving.

12. 12

    Chop the hard-boiled egg whites.

13. 13

    Divide into soup bowls and garnish with chopped hard-boiled egg whites.