Chicken, Eggplant (Aubergine) & Chickpea Stew

Yuvetch de gayina kon berendjena i garvanso

I love to pick young, violet eggplants in the garden when they are in season and transform them into a hearty Sephardic stew. Slices of succulent eggplant and tender chickpeas are cooked with the chicken, in a richly flavored fresh tomato sauce aromatic with the Rhodes Island preferred spice, ground cumin, and fragrant dried Greek oregano. This comforting dish, known in Judeo-Spanish as Yuvetch is perfect for weekday meals. The stew can be made ahead and kept in the fridge and warmed through, accompanied with rice pilaf or crusty bread.