Spanish Chard with Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 800 gSwiss chard, côte (sans feuille) (washed and roughly chopped)
- 400 gcanned chickpeas (cooked and drained)
- 3 pcGarlic (peeled)
- 1 pcWhite bread (thick slice)
- 4 tbspExtra virgin olive oil
- 1 tspSmoked paprika
- 1 tspCumin ground
- 1 tbspRed wine vinegar
- 1 pinchGray sea salt
Method
Tender chard leaves mixed with creamy chickpeas, bound by a garlicky smoked paprika sauce. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the vegetables, with a warm aroma of toasted bread and paprika.
- 1
Plunge the stems and leaves into boiling salted water. They should wilt and become supple. Drain them well, pressing to remove all excess water, otherwise the dish will be watery.
- 2
In a pan with olive oil, brown the garlic cloves and the slice of bread. The garlic should be golden and the bread crispy, with a nice hazelnut color.
- 3
Crush the fried garlic, bread, cumin, and vinegar into a thick paste. This mixture will give body to the sauce and bind the ingredients together.
- 4
Sauté the chickpeas in the pan with the smoked paprika. When it smells smoky, add the chard and the bread paste. Stir until the sauce coats every piece.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get this dish right?
- Don't throw away the chard stems, cut them smaller than the leaves so they cook at the same time.
- The secret is in frying the bread: it must be truly dry and golden for the binding to be perfect.
How long does this dish keep?
Keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The flavors develop even more the next day.
