Saffron Stewed Chickpeas

Tapas Time!

I am not so secretly obsessed with Spain. It is easily in my top 2 favorite countries I have visited. I love the people, the energy, street culture and their style of dress and dining. When I first had tapas in Spain, I thought, wow this is feasting done right;  small share plates and tons of food, I’m in!  Please enjoy these tapas-style stewed chickpeas.  They are warm, comforting and have an incredible depth of flavor.

Saffron Stewed Chickpeas
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Category: Tapas, Appetizer, Side
Cuisine: Spanish, Vegan, Gluten-Free
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced small
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons coriander
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 good pinch saffron (crush in your fingers and soak in warm water for 20 mins before use)*
  • ¼ cup golden raisins
  • ¼ cup apricots, cut into small cubes
  • 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes (I use whole canned San Marzano tomatoes, de-seed if you like, this is a personal preference)**
  • ½ cup broth
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro
  • 1 hearty lemon wedge
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. First, gather your mise en place. (mi ˑ zɑ̃ ˑ multiReplace" id="527" data-gr-id="527">plas).
  2. Next, heat your pan on med-low heat.
  3. Once hot add your grapeseed oil and onions + a pinch of salt.
  4. Sautée until your onions are translucent, then add your garlic.
  5. As this recipe is simple in nature, it is important to build a great depth of flavor here. Sautée your onions and garlic on low heat for 7-10 minutes. If you are like me and tend to rush things, set a timer, I promise you will be happy you did.
  6. Next, turn your heat to medium and add the cumin, coriander and smoked paprika. Allow the aromas and oils in the spices to release, about 1 minute.
  7. Add the chickpeas, saffron + water, raisins, apricots and spinach. Cook and stir until the spinach has wilted- about 3-4 minutes.
  8. Next, add the crushed tomatoes and broth + salt and pepper to taste. Allow all the ingredient to simmer together and the sauce to thicken- about 7 minutes. You may need to turn your fire down to achieve a simmer, avoid boiling.
  9. Lastly, pour into a serving dish and garnish with fresh cracked pepper, finishing salt (I love Maldon), cilantro and that juicy lemon wedge. Enjoy! Make a meal out of it by serving over fresh spinach.
Notes
*It is a good idea to soak your saffron before you use it in a recipe. This allows the flavors to release before it is used. When I put the saffron in my recipe, I also pour in the soaking water, more flavor is more flavor!

**San Marzano canned tomatoes are the best on the market, you will get perfectly juicy and ripe tomatoes each and every time + the Italian stamp of approval, quite literally. Some notice tomato seeds to become bitter once cooked. If this is you, make sure to remove them. To de-seed I put a sieve over a bowl and run my thumb vertically along the tomato to open it and just let the seeds fall, helping them along the way. Once I have de-seeded the tomatoes, I use a spoon to push the excess pulp and juice through the sieve. I add my seed free tomatoes to that bowl and squeeze them with my hand, giving them a 'rustic crush'. 🙂

For another creative way to use chickpeas, try making our Chickpea of the Sea Salad!

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