Chickpeas with carrots and Swiss chard
A easy, quick and healthy weeknight dinner. If you use tinned rather than dried chickpeas this can be on the table in half and hour. Although this is a standalone vegetarian meal, it's also good with fish or lamb, or as part of a mezze.
Ingredients
- 150g dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight and then drained
- 1 head of garlic, sliced horizontally in half
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 400g carrots, cut into 1cm dice
- 3 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped (or use tinned tomatoes)
- 2 tsp tomato purée
- 400g Swiss chard
- 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
- salt and pepper
Method
-
Step 1
Place the drained chickpeas in a saucepan and cover with fresh water. Add the halved garlic head, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour and 25 minutes until tender. Top up with more water if necessary. When the chickpeas are done, drain, season well and dress with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Set aside.
-
Step 2
Heat the remaining oil in a shallow pan, add the onion and cook gently for about 15 minutes, until very soft. Add the chopped garlic and the carrots and cook slowly for 10 minutes.
-
Step 3
Stir in the tomatoes and tomato purée, turn up the heat and cook for 5 minutes or until the tomato mixture has reduced enough to coat the carrots.
-
Step 4
Strip the leaves off the stalks of chard, discarding the stalks. Add the chard leaves and chickpeas to the pan and cook until the chard has wilted.
-
Step 5
Stir in the chopped mint, toss together and dress with a little good olive oil. Adjust the seasoning and serve with warm crusty bread.
