Chard and chickpeas
Apart from the soaking, which can be avoided by using good tinned chickpeas, this dish can be made in less than half an hour. It's good just with couscous, with poached eggs, or as a side to lamb. You could use spinach instead of chard. Both of them cook down alot; start with a big mound so that you're not disappointed.
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 bag chard, stems separated and finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
- few sage leaves, chopped (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped and 1 clove garlic, crushed to a paste
- 5 tbsp olive oil and extra to finish
- 150g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked till tender, kept in their liquid or 1.5 standard tins chickpeas, drained and 300ml vegetable or chicken stock
- few pinches dried flaked chilli
- large handful fresh parsley, chopped
- juice of ½ lemon
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
In a large heavy pan, sweat the onion, carrot, chard stalks, sage, bay leaf and chopped garlic in olive oil for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.
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Step 2
Season well with salt and pepper. Add the chard leaves, chickpeas and chilli, and enough chickpea cooking liquid or stock to give a soupy consistency. Cook gently for about 10 minutes.
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Step 3
Add the crushed garlic and ⅔ of the parsley. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes.
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Step 4
Season to taste, add a squeeze of lemon juice and a little more chilli if desired, and turn out onto serving dish. Trickle over a good quantity of olive oil, add a little freshly ground pepper, scatter with the remaining parsley and serve.