Garbanzos con Espinacas

OK, so this recipe I heard on NPR the other day driving home. Chef Jose Andres was challenged to design a dinner for 4 costing less than $10. His recipe of Moorish-Style Chickpea And Spinach Stew sounded delicious even over the radio-waves. Having the ingredients on-hand, I made it immediately. I didn't cook the garbanzos nearly enough, so I'll have to try again next week.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 9 ounces dried garbanzos (chickpeas)
• Pinch bicarbonate of soda
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
• 1/4 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil (I used less)
• 2 ounces white sliced bread, with the crusts removed
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 pinch Spanish saffron
• 2 tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar
• 1/2 pound spinach, washed and cleaned
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions:

• The day before you cook, soak the chickpeas in cold water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas. (Alternatively, use a can of chickpeas... I got a bunch at Harris Teeter for $0.67 each last week. If you use the canned chickpeas, there is no need to cook for hours... just cook until mushy.)
• In a big saucepan, combine the chickpeas with 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for two hours, until the chickpeas are tender. Every 10 minutes or so, add 1/2 cup of cold water to slow down the simmering. By the end, the water should have reduced so it is barely covering the chickpeas. Turn off the heat and let sit.
• In a small saute pan over medium to low heat, brown the garlic in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. When the garlic is browned, after about 3 minutes, remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the bread and brown on both sides, about one minute each side. Remove the bread and set aside.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
• Add the paprika and saffron to the saute pan, and the sherry vinegar immediately afterward to prevent the paprika from burning.
• Smash the reserved garlic and the browned bread to make a very thick paste.
• Bring the chickpeas back to a low boil and add the spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the paprika mixture along with the garlic and bread paste, to create a thick, stewy sauce.
• Simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

This is excellent served with an egg on top, cooked over-easy so the yolk mixes into the garbanzos!

4 servings
Calories: 414
Fat: 22.6 g
Fiber: 13 g