Lemon-Garlic Chickpeas with Sautéed Kale

When talking to other people I find that chickpeas are almost universally the most popular of all legumes. And it's little wonder — not only are they pleasantly mild enough to marry well with almost any kind of vegetable and hot or sour spicing, but their buttery and slightly sweet flavor are a delight by all by themselves. I know I always find myself snacking on them before combining my cooked chickpeas with other ingredients, and a friend of mine frequently cooks them up just to eat by themselves with a little salt.

Of course, if the natural "buttery-ness" of chickpeas is only enhanced by the addition of a little extra butter, then they will be made beautiful with lemon and garlic. These very easy-to-make buttery lemon-garlic chickpeas are quite delicious on their own as a simple medley of naturally complementary flavors, but sitting on a bed of sautéed kale and served with rice they become a very elegant and nutritious dinner, rich not only in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, fatty acids, and B and C vitamins from chickpeas but also in the calcium, iron and carotenoids in kale.

Lemon-Garlic Chickpeas with Sautéed Kale

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on January 9, 2008 Simple but delicious and nourishing dish of buttered lemon and garlic chickpeas served on a bed of sautéed kale Print this recipe Chickpeas: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 1/2 cup lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 tablespoon butter zest from 1 lemon 1 teaspoon sea salt pinch of cayenne 1 jalapeño, seeded and cut into thin 1-inch matchsticks 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste Kale: 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 to 1 1/2 pounds fresh kale, leaves and stems coarsely chopped sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with 4 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are soft and tender but still intact. Meanwhile, soak the minced garlic in the lemon juice. Once the chickpeas are cooked, drain and reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid for the kale. Return the chickpeas to the saucepan and turn to the heat to very low. Stir in the butter to melt, then add the lemon juice and garlic mixture along with the lemon zest, sea salt and a pinch of cayenne. Stir and let simmer very gently while the kale is cooked. To sauté the kale, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. When hot, toss in the sliced garlic, stir for a few seconds to let the slices soften and start to turn brown at the edges, then add the kale and the reserved 1/3 cup of the chickpea cooking liquid (or water if using canned chickpeas). Cover and cook for 8 minutes, lifting the lid and stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted and the liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and dress with a few pinches of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. When the kale is finished, stir the jalapeño and fresh ground black pepper into the chickpeas. To serve, place a small bed of the sautéed kale on a plate and ladle the chickpeas on top. Makes 4 to 6 servings