We had these spicy little numbers yesterday for lunch–with grilled strips of marinaded chicken breasts and swiss chard leaves sautéed with garlic and olive oil.
This is adapted from a lovely book of recipes by Australian cookery writer Jody Vassallo, which I found at Café Plum in Lautrec in French (it sells books as well as coffee, and feels Parisien!).
1 16 oz/450 gm tin or bottle of cooked chickpeas–drained, rinsed and dried (it’s important to dry them well– kitchen paper comes in handy here).
1 clove of garlic-crushed to a paste, with a little salt
1 tsp each of smoked paprika, cumin powder, white pepper powder, coriander powder, cayenne powder, dried thyme, dried oregano and salt–(or as many of these as you can muster!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Put the garlic, spices and dried herbs in a bowl and add the salt.
Mix these together thoroughly with a fork.
Add the chickpeas to the bowl and turn them over to coat them in the mixture.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan.
When the oil is hot add the chickpeas and roll them about in the oil–they should ideally lie in one layer.
Cook them over a gentle heat for 10 minutes, until they colour and crisp up.
They were delicious with:
A chicken breast each–cut into thin strips, seasoned and marinaded in olive oil for an hour.
Then cooked on a hot grill plate for a couple of minutes each side.
and
A large handful of swiss chard leaves (or spinach) washed and most of the water shaken off it, then sautéed in 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 clove of garlic sliced very fine.
Heat the oil in a pan you can cover.
Fry the garlic until it starts to colour.
Carefully add the chard, a little salt and turn it in the oil.
Cover the pan and let the chard reduce until it is tender.
The excess water makes a little sauce, but if there’s too much just drain it off.
I arranged it all on a single plate and we fought for the last chickpea!
Hello Meredith & Robin- We are going to have your spicy chickpeas and saucy chicken over the weekend it sounds lovely.My husband is diabectic 1 has been for the past 15yrs,
So it will of nice to try something different. I found you through a friend of mine who mentioned your book while we were watching you in Sherlock Holmes the other night.I have now ordered your book on line,the dishes look and sound lovely.Meredith and Robin I need your help and brains, I want to tell another friend about your book,but garlic makes her very ill,(eating out is a nighgtmare)is there anything else she could use,as far as I know she is OK with onions (I thought they were the same family)
I hope that your cat is on the the way to a full recovery.
Elaine x
Hi Elaine,
It’s sad your friend can’t eat garlic–it’s so good for you!
Just leave it out is the solution perhaps–at least she’s OK with onions–which act as a taste engine for so many dishes.
I’ll let Butterscotch know you are thinkng of her!
Hello Robin
Thanks for your advice I will let Sue know that she is OK
to make your dishes without the dreaded garlic.
Her husband is diabetic 2 also.
I have ordered her a copy your cook book for a gift.
Elaine
My husband and I had this combination for dinner a few evenings ago…It’s delicious and worthy of casual company we felt. I’ve ordered your cookbook which won’t be available in the States until November but it sure looks lovely! My husband is only borderline diabetic 2 and found that out last fall. I’ve altered my cooking and it probably benefits us both!
We discovered the 2 Poldark series only recently and now I’ve ordered all the books! You were a perfect Ross Poldark.
Best Wishes to your cat Butterscotch! And to you and Meredith!
— Bonnie in Phoenix, AZ
Thank you Bonnie, for your kind comments.
My Dad spent 1944 in Arizona–training at Falcon Field to be a fighter pilot.
He made good friends in Phoenix and I remember in the ’50’s looking with awe every month at the photos in “Arizona Highways” magazine that they subscribed us to.
It is so good that you are adapting your cooking to the circumstances.
One really can eat well with just a little change.
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