Sunday, November 16, 2014

Chickpea Saute with Creamy Harissa Sauce

This week we introduced a brand new theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs.  Mystery Box Madness will be a new theme that runs each month.  During Mystery Box Madness week, participants will create a dish using at least three of the ten mystery box ingredients.  This week's ingredients were harissa, eggs, saffron, pumpkin, maple syrup, dates, rose water, oranges, spinach, and chickpeas.  Participants can also chose a recipe from any of our eleven IHCC chefs.  

Now that I've explained the mystery box portion it's time to talk about the madness.  Decision making is not my strong suit. In fact, I'm quite sure anyone is better at decision making than me.  So when I think about ten possible ingredients and the recipes of eleven chefs... well, it's almost as if my mind is afire with possibilities.  Which three ingredients will I chose? How many different ways can I combine them? Who should I cook with? Can I use more than three ingredients? What if I tried to use all the ingredients and make a three course meal? Madness.  Sheer Madness.

Finally I ran out of time and had to come up with something and here it is.  The ingredients reminded me of the six months we spent cooking with Yotam Ottolenghi so I picked up one of his cookbooks.  When I saw his recipe for Chickpea Saute with Greek Yogurt I was sold.  A quick mixture of chickpeas, carrots, spinach, herbs, and warm spices topped with a cool tangy yogurt.  The recipe did not include harissa, but I decided to add it into both the veggie mixture and also into the yogurt topping.  I also added a sliced hard-boiled egg on top for some additional color and protein.

So here I am squeaking in at the last minute with this hearty vegetarian main dish.  This dish is very comforting and satisfying without weighing you down.  Very much like a lightly spiced veggie chili topped off by a very zesty and creamy harissa sauce.  I'm looking forward to the leftovers already! 

Chickpea Saute with Harissa Sauce
Adapted from Plenty
by Yotam Ottolenghi
Serves 4

3/4 pound (8 cups) Swiss Chard, Kale or Spinach
1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra to finish
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons cumin
1-1/2 cups freshly cooked chickpeas 
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons harissa
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
2 tablespoons harissa
1 tablespoon olive oil
hard-boiled egg, for garnish

Separate the chard, or kale, stalks from the leaves.  Blanch the stalks in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Add the leaves and continue cooking for 2 minutes, then drain everything.  Refresh under cold running water and squeeze dry, then chop roughly.  (If using spinach no precooking is necessary.  Roughly chop the spinach and it can be added directly to the pan with the chickpeas).

Heat up the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan.  Add the carrots, caraway seeds, and cumin and saute for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add the chard, kale, or spinach along with the chickpeas and continue cooking for 6 minutes.  Now add the garlic, herbs, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of harissa.  Add salt and pepper to taste and stir to incorporate.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To serve, mix together the yogurt, the additional 2 tablespoons of harissa, 1 tablespoon olive oil and some salt and pepper.  Pile the vegetables on serving dishes and spoon the harissa/yogurt sauce on top.  Garnish with slices of hard boiled egg, if desired.

Theme: Mystery Box Madness







9 comments:

  1. Mmm--I love everything about this dish. Smart to add the harissa to the yogurt for the extra flavor too. ;-)

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  2. This is my kind of a supper bowl. I love chickpeas in combination with carrots. You've taken it astep further with the greens and that yogurt sauce! Delish!

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  3. Hi Kim,
    Delicious dish! You are right about choosing the recipe using the listed ingredients. I changed my mind many times! I knew it that I'm not the only one! LOL!
    Adding harissa to both the veggie and sauce, already sounds so good!
    Wonderful selection of ingredients!

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  4. How delicious! I love the idea of the harissa dressing with the boiled egg.

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  5. I used the same 3 ingredients (minus the egg) for an entirely different dish. Love this challenge!

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  6. Lovely! But I can't find harissa here in Malaysia. But we have our local sambal cili which is equally hot, I think. :D

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  7. This is a great dish, Kim. You know that I love just about anything with chickpeas in it, and I love that your moment of madness led you in Ottolenghi's direction, who is my favourite chef, as you know :-) That was great addition of the harissa to the vegetables and the sauce, and a bonus for managing to sneak in an egg as well.

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  8. I love seeing all the recipes people chose for this new feature! And yes, the ingredients did sound very Ottolenghi to me as well. This is one dish of his that I haven't made, but absolutely must try!

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  9. I agree with Sue, love anything with chickpeas. I could have this for lunch for sure. Hope you are staying warm.

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