Chickpeas With Spinach And Potato Wedges Recipes

CHICKPEAS WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Pick over the chickpeas, discarding any misshapen peas or grit, rinse well, and soak overnight in water to cover. The next day, drain the chickpeas and put them in a saucepan with water to cover by 2 inches. Tie together 4 of the garlic cloves, the onion, and the bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and add the sachet to the pan. Add the optional ham hock only if you will not be adding salt cod later, and then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered, adding 2 teaspoons salt (less if using the ham hock) after the first 10 minutes of cooking, until the chickpeas are tender, about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the heat, and remove the sachet from the pan. Leave the chickpeas in their cooking liquid. Discard the ham bone. Untie the sachet, discard the bay leaf, and reserve the garlic and onion.
• Place the spinach in a saucepan with only the rinsing water clinging to its leaves and cook over medium heat, stirring and turning constantly with tongs, until wilted, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain well in a sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon. If the leaves seem stringy or too big, you can chop them a bit more. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bread and the remaining 3 uncooked garlic cloves and fry, turning as needed, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender or small processor, add the saffron, and pulse until pulverized. Add the onion and garlic reserved from the chickpeas, the cumin, paprika, and 1 cup of the chickpea cooking liquid and purée until smooth.
• Add the purée and the spinach to the cooked chickpeas along with the salt cod or the ham, whichever you are using. Place the mixture over low heat, stir well, and bring to a simmer. If it seems dry, add a little water as needed so the stew is spoonable. Season to taste with salt and lots of pepper. Taste and balance the seasoning with vinegar.
• Transfer to a serving dish. If serving with the optional eggs, top with the fried eggs and serve hot, or with the hard-boiled eggs and serve warm.

CHICKPEAS WITH SPINACH (GREEK)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are tender.
• Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, pepper flakes (to suit your taste), and oregano,and paprika.
• Cover and simmer for about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add spinach and cook about 7 minutes longer, or until spinach is cooked.
• Add the lemon juice (I usually like to add the juice of about 1 1/2 lemons. Add the juice of 1 lemon, taste and adjust to your own, personal taste), salt and pepper.

CHICKPEAS WITH BABY SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, tomato paste and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring for one to two minutes, until fragrant and the tomato paste has turned a darker color. Add the chickpeas, the stock or water, and the cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, stirring until each addition of spinach wilts. Add salt to taste and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for five minutes. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt and cayenne, and serve.

CHICKPEAS WITH SPINACH (GARBANZOS CON ESPINACAS)

Steps:

• Cook the spinach in a dry skillet over moderate heat with just the water that clings to the leaves until the spinach is tender and dry.
• Set aside. In the same skillet, heat half the oil and fry the garlic and bread until both are golden brown. Transfer to an electric blender or food processor, add the spices, salt, and pepper, and process until smooth. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and saute the garlic mixture until it forms a thick sauce - add a little water if necessary.
• Stir in the reserved spinach and chickpeas and heat through. Serve hot or at room temperature.

CHICKPEAS WITH SPINACH AND POTATO WEDGES

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the tamarind paste, the chickpea masala, and the ginger-garlic paste. Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water to cover until soft, about 20 minutes. Let cook, then cut into wedges. Heat the oil in a large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the red chili peppers, cumin, and fenugreek seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the turmeric and chickpea flour and stir over medium-heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.2. Add the ginger-garlic paste and stir 1 minute. Then add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, chickpeas, water, tamarind paste, and cilantro, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the chickpeas are soft, about 7 minutes. Mix in the coriander, chickpea masala, and garam masala during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the tomato wedges, and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.