Chickpea and Spinach Salad

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This recipe pre-dates my 5 Ingredients philosophy.

Chickpea and Spinach Salad

From Stonesoup

I am often lazy when it comes to chickpeas and tend to used the canned variety rather than soaking and cooking my own. Although you could substitute tinned chickpeas with this salad, I was really glad that I went to the extra effort. The flavour and texture of home cooked chickpeas is much much better, particularly when given a chance to absorb the fragrance of cinnamon as in this recipe.

Using the whole lemon cut into little triangles adds a lovely zesty flavour and interesting texture. Next time, I would make it with preserved lemon for some extra perfumey complexity. Adapted from a Karen Martini recipe that was published in Sunday Life.

serves 12 as accompaniment
500g chickpeas, soaked in plenty of cold water overnight
3 sticks cinnamon
2 medium red onions, halved and finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2C extra virgin olive oil
2 bunches English spinach, well washed and roughly chopped
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, thinly sliced and cut into small triangles, skin on
pinch grated nutmeg
½ bunch dill, finely chopped
½ bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves picked and torn
lemon halves, to serve

1. Drain chickpeas and place in a large saucepan with the cinnamon. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45minutes or until chickpeas are tender.

2. Drain and discard cinnamon. Heat oil in the large saucepan and cook onion over a medium low heat for approx ten minutes until soft.

3. Add garlic and spinach and cook stirring until spinach is wilted. Add chickpeas, lemon juice, lemon triangles, nutmeg and herbs. Mix until well combined and season.

4. Serve warm or at room temperature with lemon halves.