It doesn't get more rustic than boiled, hearty, slightly bitter, wild greens topped with olive oil and lemon. There are many varieties of wild greens that can be used, but the most commonly found in our local grocery stores are Dandelion Greens. Per the BBC: article "World's most Nutritious Foods": "(Dandelion "lion's tooth") leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium." Roasting the chickpeas provides an earthy, nuttiness to balance the dish.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
1 can or 14oz chickpeas
1 cup of dandelion greens (stems removed)
Olive Oil
Salt
1 Clove of Garlic - chopped
Lemon
Seasoning (optional) - Paprika, Allspice, Cumin
Substitutes - Any greens will do, like Tuscan Kale, Collared , Rabe, Mustard and even Spinach, it just needs to hold up to the boiling process.
Steps - Dandelion Greens (start first)
De-stem 1 cup of dandelion greens and rinse in a large pot.
Boil in salted water, and 1 clove of chopped garlic, for 25 minutes.
The greens and water will be bitter, lemon and red wine vinegar are options to cut down the bitterness. The greens can be refrigerated and eaten cold, re-apply lemon and olive oil.
Spoon out the greens and garlic (retain some of the juice) in a bowl, allow to cool for 10 minutes
Steps - Chickpeas (start 15 minutes after the greens are on the fire)
If using fresh chickpeas, we recommend soaking (14oz) for 8 hours (in baking soda and water)), and then boiling in salted water for 30-45 minutes or until soft, and set aside.
Or strain liquid from 1 can of Chickpeas
Toss chickpeas with olive oil, salt, black pepper, paprika (optional: allspice, cumin)
Roast chickpeas in a sheet pan at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until slightly browned.
Ensure the chickpeas don't dry out while roasting, if required, cover with alum foil. Sautéing chickpeas would work as well, but leaves out some of the nuttiness from the roasting.
Assembly
Spoon out the greens and garlic (retain some of the juice) in a bowl, allow to cool for 10 minutes, top with Roasted Chickpeas, and add with a few Tbsp of Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Salt to taste.
We recommend accompanying this dish with a hearty, rustic bread
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