Mediterranean vegetables with chickpeas

The flavors of the media are captured in this delicious healthy vegetable dish ideal for a light lunch served with crusty bread.

Ingredients

1 onion, sliced
2 leeks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, cursed
1 red (bell) pepper, sliced
1 green (bell) pepper, sliced
1 yellow (bell) pepper, sliced
350g/ 2oz courgettes (zucchini), sliced
225g/Boz/3 cups mushrooms,  sliced
400g / 4oz can chopped tomatoes
30ml/2 tbsp ruby part of red wine
30ml/2 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
15ml/1 tbsp tomato ketchup (optional)
400g/4oz can chickpeas
115g/4oz/1 cup stoned (pitted) black olives
45ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs, including oregano and basil
Salt and ground black pepper chopped fresh mixed herbs, to garnish

Preparation

1. Put the onion, leeks, garlic, red, yellow, and green peppers, coquettes and mushrooms into a large heavy pan.
2. Add the tomatoes, port or red wine tomato puree and tomato ketchup, if using, to the pan and mix all the ingredients together well.
3. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and to the pan, Stir cover bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer the mixture gently for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are cocked and tender but not overcooked stirring occasionally.
4. Remove the lid of the saucepan and increase the heat slightly for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time, to thicken the sauce if you like.
5. Stir in the olives, herbs and seasoning. Serve either hot or cold, garnish with chopped mixed herbs.