Tunisian Chickpeas with Swiss Chard
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time35 minutes
- 2
This wholesome but hearty dish was inspired by a recipe in “Mediterranean Cooking” by Paula Wolfert, an expert on North African and Mediterranean cuisines. Browned tomato paste, onion and garlic create a flavor base that complements Swiss chard's earthiness. Use rainbow chard if you can find it—the vibrant stems add color to the dish. Roughly mashing the tomatoes and chickpeas creates a chunky, rustic broth that's perfect with crusty bread, warmed flatbread or couscous, but the dish also is an excellent side to roasted or grilled chicken or lamb.
Don't drain the tomatoes; their juice is needed to achieve the proper consistency. And don't be alarmed by the quantity of chard leaves stirred into the pot at the end. It will look like far too much, but with just a few minutes of cooking, the leaves will wilt and release their moisture, creating a silky sauce.
Step 1
In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, coriander and cumin, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste has browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes with their juice, the chard stems, 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and 1 cup water, scraping up any browned bits.
Step 2
Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and chard stems have softened, 10 to 14 minutes.
With the pot still on medium-low, use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to roughly mash the mixture; it's fine if many of the chickpeas remain whole.
Step 3
Return to a simmer over medium-high, then add the chard leaves. Cook, stirring, until are wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with drizzled with oil and lemon wedges on the side.
