smashed chickpeas w/poblano-corn salad + a fried egg|w/whole roasted carrots, broccoli rabe + ras el hanout apricot almond rig

Smashing the chickpeas with garlic-laden butter came about when we had several children over for dinner immediately after getting a new rug. There was some concern that if we left the chickpeas in their normally round and roly-poly state, the rug would never recover. Now we make it because we like it. Use any place you would want smashed potatoes or creamy beans. The only drawback is that the chickpeas won’t soak up a sauce the way that polenta will, so best to not pair them with anything too loose. If reheating the next day, refry with a bit more olive oil until warm. Just be careful not to burn the garlic.

Uh-oh! We're unable to calculate nutrition for this recipe because some ingredients aren't recognized.

Step 1

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat until warm. Add the chickpeas to the pan with a big pinch of salt and smash with the back of a spoon until evenly chunky.

Step 2

Fry without stirring, allowing the chickpeas to start to crisp a bit on the edges, then add the garlic and butter. Toss to combine, then turn the heat to low. Cook gently, stirring every few minutes, until the garlic is soft but not browned. Remove from the heat and serve.

Step 3

Cut 1/2 poblano pepper per person into long strips and sauté with some diced onion and a couple of pinches of salt. Add about 1/2 cup [100 g] of corn kernels per person to the pepper and sauté until cooked through. Fry 1 egg per person. To serve, scoop about 1/2 cup [100 g] of garlic chickpeas with the poblano-corn salad onto a plate and top with the fried egg. You could top the whole thing with a spoonful or two of Paprika Cumin Oil (page 40).

Step 4

Roast some whole carrots (2 or 3 per person) in a 450°F [230°C] oven until tender and caramelized, about 40 minutes. Sauté some broccoli rabe. Serve the garlic chickpeas on individual plates topped with the carrots and broccoli rabe and then spoon some of the Ras el Hanout Apricot Almond Rig (page 49) over each serving.