Name: Chickpea and Swiss Chard Stew
Ingredients: 2 pounds dry chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained (3 cups for this recipe); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 5 quarts water; 1/2 teaspoon Atlantic sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 pound Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped; 6 garlic cloves finely chopped; 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; ½ cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons); ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper

Chickpea and Swiss Chard Stew

Ingredients

Chickpeas:

2 pounds dry chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained (3 cups for this recipe)
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 quarts water
1/2 teaspoon Atlantic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Stew:

1 pound Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Prepare dried chickpeas: In a large pot, cover chickpeas, with water, add baking soda and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours, until chickpeas are soft. Drain chickpeas, season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool. Reserve 3 cups chickpeas for this recipe, and transfer the rest to freezer-safe storage bags or containers. Freeze for up to four months.
Prepare stew: Place a wide pot over medium-high heat, and add oil, swirling to coat. Add garlic and sauté gently for 3 minutes, until brown. Add Swiss chard, salt, and pepper, and steam until chard wilts about 3 minutes. Add chickpeas and lemon juice and cook for 3 minutes until the flavors blend.

Adaptations

Go Basic:

Substitute the chickpeas with any canned legumes.
Substitute the Swiss chard with kale, spinach, or any other leafy green vegetable.

Challenge your skills:

Garnish with sumac or nigella seeds to enhance the flavors and add color.

Cultural adaptation:

Add coriander and cumin seeds for an Indian flavor.
Substitute the lemon juice with rice vinegar, and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon minced ginger for a south east Asia flavor

Notes

Home cooking learning points

Batch cook the chickpeas! Reserve 3 cups of chickpeas for this recipe, and transfer the rest to freezer-safe storage bags or containers. Freeze for up to four months.
Batch cook the whole dish, and freeze for up to four months.
Save the cooking liquid from the chickpeas and use it in place of broth.

Copyright Chef Coaching Program, Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School