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