Moroccan Spinach and Chickpeas
Here is a very quick, easy and healthy dish for a weeknight dinner. I served it alongside a Bombay aloo, and they went together very nicely. Spinach and chickpeas make a great combination, and this had a light, bright flavour. I'm eating the leftovers for breakfast as I write this.
I have to admit that I cheated a bit with this recipe. I didn't have any bread, which is unusual for me, so I ended up using bread crumbs instead. I don't know how much it changed the texture of the dish, but it certainly appealed to the lazy dishwasher in me, skipping the the step requiring the use of the food processor. I also used canned tomatoes rather than tomato sauce.
This recipe is from the website Serious Eats.
INGREDIENTS
| 3 tablespoons | olive oil |
| 1/2 pound | fresh curly spinach, rinsed |
| Kosher salt | |
| 1 (15‑ounce) can | chickpeas, drained and rinsed |
| 1/2‑inch slice | from a country loaf, cut into cubes |
| 1/4 cup | tomato sauce |
| 2 | medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1/4 teaspoon | ground cumin |
| pinch | red pepper flakes |
| 2 teaspoons | red wine vinegar |
| Freshly cracked black pepper | |
| 1/4 teaspoon | smoked paprika |
| 1 | lemon, cut into wedges |
PREPARATION:
- Pour half of the oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly, and cook until the leaves just wilt, about 4 minutes. Drain contents in a colander. Rinse out saucepan and dry with paper towel.
- Add 1 tablespoon of remaining oil to the saucepan and return it to medium heat. Toss in the bread cubes. Cook, stirring often, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the olive oil along with the garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute (If garlic begins to burn, remove contents from pan immediately).
- Transfer the bread mixture to a food processor. Pour in the vinegar and process into a paste.
- Add the paste back to the saucepan along with the tomato sauce and chickpeas. Turn the heat to medium, and cook until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors, about 5 minutes. Quickly chop the drained spinach, and then add it to the saucepan. Season mixture with salt and pepper. As soon as the chickpeas and spinach are warm, turn off the heat. Serve with sprinkling smoked paprika and fresh lemon juice.
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