Small

Chickpeas with Silverbeet and Lemon

20 August 2020

ingredients

equipment

Wire strainer or colander

Chopping board and kitchen knife

Large, deep fry pan or saute pan

Wooden spoon

method

Step 1

Reserve 1 cup of water from the cooked or tinned chickpeas.

Drain the chickpeas and rinse well - set aside.

Step 2 - Prepare the Vegetables and Herbs

Peel and finely slice the onion 

Peel and finely slice the garlic

Wash, trim and finely shred the silverbeet or other leaves, into ribbons

Wash the parsley and pull off the leaves

Wash and chop the dill.

Juice the lemon.

Slice the lemon half into thin crescents - cut these in half again to create small thin triangles.

Cut the remaining lemon into wedges for garnish.

Step 3

Heat the Olive oil over low heat, adding the onion and a teaspoon of salt.

Continue cooking while stirring for 5 or so minutes, until the onions are tender becoming translucent in colour.

Add the chopped garlic and cook until aromatic.  

Do not allow the onion or the garlic to colour.

Add the damp silverbeet or other leaves - about 1/3 at a time, allowing the leaves to collapse into the pan as you toss them with tongs. 

As each handful of leaves collapses, add some more until all of the leaves are in.

You can add a little of the reserved water from the chickpeas to moisten the leaves if they look too dry.

Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking a further 10 - 20 minutes.  Keep the pan partially covered and remove to stir occasionally.

Add the chickpeas and parsley and dill and cook for a further 5 minutes to heat the chickpeas through.

Add the dill, lemon juice and lemon triangles.

Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper as required.

Step 4 - Assembly and Service

Remove the pan from the heat and toss the ingredients well.

Transfer to a large platter or shallow bowl.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

source

Recipe by Karen Martini, Sunday newspapers, Melbourne.  Date unknown.

Adapted by Elizabeth Peddey