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Moroccan Chickpeas With Chard

5.0(2127)

An array of aromatic spices, along with chopped dried apricots and preserved lemons give this chickpea stew a complex, deep flavor, while chard stems and leaves lighten and freshen it up. Served with couscous or flatbread, it’s a satisfying meatless meal on its own. Or serve it with roasted chicken, beef or lamb as a hearty side dish. If you can find rainbow chard, you’ll get the best color here, but any chard variety (red, Swiss, yellow) will work well.

by Melissa Clark·published 2015-02-18

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MoroccanDinner, Lunch, Main Course

Servings

(6–8)

Total time

2h 30m

Calories / serving

346 kcal

Ingredients (21)

serves

4 tablespoons olive oilolive-oil
2 Spanish onions, choppedonion
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded if desired, choppedpepper
4 garlic cloves, mincedgarlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger rootginger-root
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
1 teaspoon ground turmericturmeric
1 teaspoon sweet paprikapaprika
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamoncinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumincumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepperpepper
Pinch of cayennecayenne
2 tablespoons tomato pastetomato-paste
1 fennel bulb, diced (save fronds for garnish)fennel
1 very large bunch chard, stems sliced 1/2-inch thick, leaves torn into bite-size pieceschard
2 carrots, peeled and dicedcarrot
1 large turnip, peeled and dicedturnip
1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water to cover or quick-soaked (see Tip)chickpea
1/3 cup diced dried apricotsapricot
2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon, more to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, more for garnishcilantro

01Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Add onion and jalapeño and sauté until limp, 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper and cayenne and sauté until they release their fragrance, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté for another minute, until darkened but not burned. (If tomato paste looks too dark too quickly, lower heat.)
02Add fennel, chard stems, carrot and turnip and continue to sauté until vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes. Add chickpeas and water to barely cover.
03Return heat to high if you lowered it and bring to a simmer. Partly cover pot, lower heat to medium low, and simmer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until chickpeas are softened. Add more water if needed (this should be like a stew).
04Add chard leaves, apricots and preserved lemon to pot and continue simmering until chard is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Season with more salt if desired, and serve garnished with cilantro and reserved fennel fronds.

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