Hot Chickpeas With Spinach Bacon Food

SPINACH AND CHICKPEAS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cut bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces and cook in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until browned; leave bacon in skillet and spoon off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, chickpeas, and red pepper flakes; saute over high heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas begin to brown (3-4 minutes).
• Stir in spinach and garlic and saute', stirring, until spinach is wilted.
• Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil.

SPINACH AND CHICK PEAS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Bring a 3-quart pot three fourths full of water to a boil. Add bacon and cook 2 minutes. Drain bacon and rinse in cold water. Pat dry and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.
• Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until browned. Leaving bacon in skillet, spoon off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, chickpeas, and red pepper flakes to skillet and saut) over high heat, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas begin to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in spinach and garlic and sauté, stirring, until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil.

PASTA WITH SPINACH, CHICKPEAS, AND BACON

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to instructions on the box, minus a minute or two.
• When done save 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the rest- keep in a colander.
• Pour the olive oil into a skillet over medium heat. . Add the bacon pieces and cook for 3 minutes or until they begin to render their fat. Toss in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes.
• Dump in chickpeas and stir to coat. Then add the spinach leaves, and cook until wilted. Season with a pinch of salt and add a half a cup or so of the pasta cooking water.
• When the spinach is wilted, add pasta to the pan with spinach and chick peas. Cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two.
• Remove from the heat, sprinkle with cheese, and serve.
• I actually removed the bacon before eating, wanted to add the flavor but avoid some of the calories.

CHICKPEAS WITH TOMATOES & SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onion over a low heat until softened. Stir in the garlic, ginger and chillies and cook for a further 5 mins until the onions are golden and the garlic slightly toasted.
• Add the turmeric, garam masala and cumin, stirring over a low heat for a few secs. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and add the tomato purée, then simmer for 5 mins.
• Add the chickpeas to the pan with 300ml water (fill the can three-quarters full). Simmer for 10 mins before stirring in the spinach to wilt. Season and serve with rice or naan.

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.

SPINACH & CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• Heat the curry paste in a large non-stick frying pan. Once it starts to split, add the onion and cook for 2 mins to soften. Tip in the tomatoes and bubble for 5 mins or until the sauce has reduced.
• Add the chickpeas and some seasoning, then cook for 1 min more. Take off the heat, then tip in the spinach and allow the heat of the pan to wilt the leaves. Season, add the lemon juice, and serve with basmati rice.