Vegetable stew with (optional) fish

Wow. First of all... this backdrop makes this photo pop! How awesome is that!

But that's not why we're here. Although on top of this 'stew' there is a gorgeous piece of fish (sea bass), the dish underneath is a warming, fusion of flavours and vegan. So if you want to leave out the fish, be my guest. It's still super jummy without protein!

Ingredients (4p):

• 1 onion • 8 garlic cloves • 1 bell pepper • 1 can chickpeas • 300 gram potatoes • 1 jar black olives • 1 can tomato pulp or canned tomatoes (blend for better texture) • 1 can of water • 2 tbsp tomato puree • 250 ml cooking cream • 4 tsp spicy berbere spice mix (mine is from @pit_pit_com and is amazing) • 1 tsp cumin • 2 tsp smoked paprika • 1 tsp thyme • 1 tsp rosemary • 1 vegetable stock cube • 400 gram spinach •

1. Start with prepping your vegetables. Finely chop your onion, grate your garlic and chop your bell pepper and potatoes. If you don't have tomato pulp, get regular canned tomatoes and put them in a blender.

2. Heat up some oil in a large pan and sauté your onion and garlic. Add the spices (berbere mix, cumin, paprika, thyme and rosemary). Give it a quick fry. Add the tomato puree and stir again.

3. Now add the (drained) chickpeas, bell pepper, tomato pulp and water. Bring to a active simmer and add the potatoes and stock cube. If you don't have much time, you can boil the potatoes in advance and add when cooked. Use less water if you do that.

4. Simmer the sauce until the potatoes are cooked completely. Add the spinach, olives and cooking cream and stir while bringing back to a boil. Taste and add salt if needed.

Serve the sauce over (brown) rice and add fish or chicken if you feel like it. Garnish with lemon and coriander.

Berbere is an Ethiopian spice mix, but I think it works really well with Middle Eastern or South European flavours. Give it a go, it's so tasty and warming!