Posts Tagged ‘chickpeas’

Unrecipe Of The Week: Tomato and Roasted Chickpea Salad

September 13, 2016

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It’s hard to believe that summer is officially over. The weather in New York is hovering in the 90’s, the sun is shining, and the heirloom tomatoes are still readily available at the farm stands in Union Square. Before we have to go back to tomatoes that are vagely reminiscent of styrofoam, I’ll be eating as many of these as possible. One way I’ll be doing that is with this tomato and chickpea salad. The chickpeas get pan roasted and infused with flavor, thanks to a little cumin. Add a little parsley, some salt and pepper and a quick shallot vinaigrette and toss it all with the freshest, ripest little tomatoes you can find. It doesn’t get much simpler, or tastier than this.

Tomato and Pan Roasted Chickpea Salad:

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For the chickpeas:
Heat olive oil in a pan until glistening. Add a can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed to the pan and spread them out so that they are flat and all of them make contact with surface of the pan.
Cook over medium to meduim low heat for several minutes without touching them until the bottoms are browned and they are starting to blister. Add a healthy dose of salt, and shake the pan to allow the chickpeas to cook on all sides. Be careful not to burn them. Remove the pan from the heat, and add a couple of teaspoons of ground cumin, to taste. ( These are a great high protien snack, so consider making extra to munch on !)

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For the salad:

Mix the chickpeas with a pint or two of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half, or several large tomatoes, cut into chunks. We used heirloom cherry tomatoes which come in  beautiful range of colors and shapes. Add a big handful of minced parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Toss with olive oil, red wine vinegar and a finely minced shallot and enjoy!

We made ours in advance, and kept the shallot vinaigrette separate until just before serving, to avoid having the tomatoes marinate, but you can also mix it up in advance if you prefer.

 

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Unrecipe of the Week: Honey Roasted Chickpeas

February 9, 2015

 

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I am always looking for a snack that is healthy, not processed, and low in calories and carbs to satisfy my crunchy, salty, sweet cravings.

I’ve spoken before about my addiction to Trader Joe’s trail mixes. They almost fit the bill. That is, if I could stop at just a tiny little handful. I cannot. They are my crack.

Chickpeas are an often forgotten health food. They are high in protein and fiber, and are iron rich. One half cup of chickpeas contains 134 calories, and 7 grams of protien.

This recipe takes these little gems and roasts them up to a delicate crunch. The spices add a little heat, and the honey provides just a touch of sweetness. While chickpeas do contain a reasonable amount of calories, they are filling enough to allow me to stop after just a handful or two. They are easy to make and keep well in the refrigerator, so you can grab a few when the afternoon munchies take hold.

Spicy Honey Roasted Chickpeas

Rinse a large can of chickpeas and spread them on paper towels to dry. They need to be dry before cooking or they will stay soft.

Mix 2 tablespoons or so of cumin, garlic salt, and paprika together in a large bowl. Add about a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, depending on how hot you like things. Add a couple of tablespoons of a nuetral flavored oil, such as canola, grapeseed or sunflower seed oil, and 1 large tablespoon of honey. Mix well. Stir in the chickpeas and toss to coat.

Spread the chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 or 40 minutes until crisp. Shake the pan every 10 minutes during baking to roll the chickpeas around, allowing them to brown more evenly.

Allow to cool slightly, and enjoy!
Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator if you are not going to eat them right away.

Photo: Glasshouse Images

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Unrecipe of the Week: Oops Soup

October 17, 2014

Sometimes the best laid plans go awry . Today’s dish really is an unrecipe: in fact, not only did I use the “little of this and a bit of that” method, I didn’t even intend it to be soup!

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It all began in the vegetable market, when I had a taste for something hearty, yet vegetarian. Autumnal flavors were on my mind, and zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and mushrooms sounded like a good start.

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I sautéed an onion and some garlic with the mushrooms, and added some italian herbs. Sounds good, right? Well, it all went astray from there. As I tossed chunks of zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes on top of it in the slow cooker , I had some second thoughts. I wondered if 5 hours in the slow cooker might make them soft. I wondered if they might give off too much liquid. I added a can of beans to make the stew heartier, and hopefully thicken up what I realized was going to be a pot of mushy vegetables. I turned on the cooker and went about my business. When I came back a few hours later, I had just that: a pot of bland, starting to get quite mushy vegetables. They had given off quite a bit of liquid, but not enough to make soup. I added some stock and some canned tomatoes to the pot and let it cook it’s little heart out. When it was done, I pureed it into a rich, flavorful soup. It’s sort of a riff on a classic minestrone, and a little drizzle of olive oil and some grated Parmesan cheese provided the perfect finishing touch. All’s well that ends well!

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Winter Vegetable Stew Soup:

Dice one medium onion and a couple of cloves of garlic, and sauté them in olive oil until soft. Add some sliced mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown. Add a healthy amount of dried oregano, basil and a bay leaf, and place in the slow cooker. Pile on chunks of zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes. ( I used 2 zucchini, 1 medium eggplant and 3 large tomatoes.) Season liberally with salt and pepper. Add 1 can of beans, rinsed, ( I used chickpeas ) and set the slow cooker for about 5 hours. Check it a few hours in, give it a stir and realize this is going to be mediocre at best. Add a little vegetable stock, if necessary, and a can of diced San Marzano tomatoes. Let it cook until the timer goes off.

Puree the mixture, and taste to correct seasonings. If it is too thick, add a little more stock.  To serve, place in soup bowls, drizzle with a little olive oil, and a dollop of grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy, knowing that good cooks can salvage almost anything!

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Photos: Glasshouse Images

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Unrecipe of the Week: Chicken With Chickpeas in a Spicy Harissa Sauce

October 6, 2014

This is a hearty dish that warms your soul on a dreary autumn day. Sautéed chicken is seared and then braised in the oven in a Moroccan inspired spicy tomato sauce. It holds it’s own as a vegetarian option as well. Simply leave out the chicken and substitute vegetable broth for a savory chickpea stew.

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While a more traditional interpretation uses chicken thighs, we liked lightening it up a bit with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Chicken With Chickpeas in a Spicy Harissa Sauce:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and cook them in a little olive oil in an oven proof skillet until both sides are brown. Remove them and put them on a plate. Set aside.

Add a diced onion and a couple of cloves of diced garlic to the pan, and sauté until softened. Add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to the pan and stir. Add 1 can of chickpeas (rinsed), about 1/2 cup of chicken broth and a couple of tablespoons of harissa paste* to the pan. Bring to a simmer and place the chicken back into the skillet. Transfer to the oven, and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes.

Serve on a bed of rice (we used cauliflower rice which is the perfect foil for the spiciness and low in calories) and enjoy!

*Harissa paste is a blend of hot peppers and olive oil, garlic, and aromatic spices such as cumin and coriander. It is available at fine grocery stores in the international foods aisle. We bought ours in a jar at Whole Foods. Each type of harissa is different, so adjust the quantity to accommodate your palette.

photo: Glasshouse Images

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Unrecipe of the Week: Moroccan Chicken Tagine

December 11, 2013

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Those of you who follow us on Facebook ( and you really should!) know that I got a slow cooker as a gift. Those of you that follow this blog, know that I am more of a fast cooker type, using fresh ingredients to create seasonal, flavorful and simple dishes. I admit to being a bit intimidated by this concept of slow cooking, and put off trying it out. Finally, on the days leading up to Thanksgiving, I was home long enough to attempt to try it out. First, I did my due diligence, researching recipes, and reading the comments. Many of the readers complained that the cooking times were off. There was lots of conversation about too much liquid, or not enough. Many of the recipes were for dishes I simply don’t care for. Finally, I stumbled upon a recipe for a Moroccan Style Chicken Tagine, with dried apricots and chickpeas. The comments were all favorable, and dish did not disappoint. The rich flavorful stew that accompanies the chicken is hearty and tasty enough to hold its own as a vegetarian dish, with a few minor tweaks ( like losing the chicken!).

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I learned a few lessons experimenting with the slow cooker:

Just tossing the ingredients into the pot and turning it on isn’t going to happen very often. Browning meats, sauteing onions, and finishing sauces on the stove top are part of the success of slow cooked foods. This (un) recipe, is adapted from the Kitchn, and requires a bit of before and after work, but the results were worth the extra effort, and the added mess.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Chickpeas:

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown them in olive oil until golden. Work in batches if necessary, until all pieces are done.  Transfer them to the slow cooker.

Using the same pan, saute one diced onion and 2 peeled and diced carrots in olive oil, until soft and slightly brown. Add 2 or 3 minced garlic cloves, and a chunk of ginger root, peeled and minced to the pan, and cook for about 1 minute. Add 1 teaspoon or so of cumin, and cinnamon. Continue to saute until mixed.  Pour the mixture over the chicken. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, and a few large handfuls of dried apricots, chopped.

Turn the slow cooker up to high, and cook for roughly 4 -5 hours.

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Remove the chicken from the cooker, and place on a platter, covered with foil to keep warm. Pour the sauce, including the fruit and vegetables into a pan, add 1 tablespoon of honey, and 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed.  Simmer until the sauce reduces a bit and starts to thicken.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the finished sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Serve on a bed of cous cous and enjoy!

photos: Glasshouse Images

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