SUNSET, SOUP

This is apparently turning into a travel blog - not what you came for - but I promise there is a recipe after this amazing photo that I ACTUALLY TOOK 3 hours ago, because that's just what it looked like a block from our apartment.  It's not even touched by Instagram. Yesterday (Saturday) I had made soup for tonight, so we had plenty of time to hang out by the water.  

Last night we went to an excellent play, Tierra del Fuego, directed by my friend Maria Varela (librarian by day) and afterwards followed her and my other librarian friends to the exuberant and genuine Pacharan - Basque Society restaurant - which just started to fill up around 10 p.m., where we, exhausted by trying to keep up in Spanish until 1 a.m. with those hospitable and amazingly lively Uruguayas, girded ourselves with langostinos al ajillo, swimming in paprika-and-garlic-drenched oil.  This was a totally normal evening procedure.  How do they do it?

So about that soup - more like a stew.  Rather ordinary and maybe not so visually appealing (no photo) but a delicious meal nonetheless.  I had gone to the trouble of cooking the chickpeas - big mistake, as it turned out the ones I bought most likely had been on a shelf since 2004 and were still crunchy after 2 1/2 hours.

Chickpea, chicken, and vegetable stew (this recipe will serve 3 - easily doubled)
(You may notice that many elements are reappearing here - that's because we're trying to use up what's around and available and not buying too much that's new.  A good system - I really should do this more at home.)

• 2 cans rinsed and drained cooked chickpeas
• 4 strips of bacon, chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, cut into dice
• 1 red pepper, ditto
• 1 medium zucchini, ditto
• about 1/2 lb. green beans, in 1" pieces
• 1/4 cp. tomato puree
• 1 chicken bouillon cube (there it is again)
• 1/2 of a roast chicken, meat removed (just buy one, and use the rest for sandwiches.)
• paprika and thyme

Fry the bacon in a large deep saucepan, and when crisp, remove onto paper towels and pour out most of the fat.  Add a little olive oil and sauté the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the garlic, carrot, and red pepper, and stir for another minute.  Now add the zucchini, green beans, tomato puree, bouillon (or just some salt), about a half teaspoon each of paprika and thyme, and water to generously cover everything.  Bring to a simmer, stir well, and cover the pan - simmer until everything is tender (no crunchy vegetables here).  Add the reserved bacon crisps, chickpeas and the chicken - and some water if it's too thick, though ultimately you don't want it too thin.  Keep simmering until everything is definitively soft and soupy.  Taste for salt and pepper - add some if needed.  

With salad and bread - that's about it.  Bought some adorable mini chocolate coated dulce de leche cookies from the Biarritz for dessert.

P.S.  Reminder:  what is even better is chocolate crepes filled with dulce de leche - will try that at home.