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Sauteed Chickpeas with Meat

This recipe which is vaguely related to the classic chili, combines chickpeas, meat, and spices and takes advantage of all of those assets. The cooked chickpeas are sautéed over high heat until browned and slightly crisp, and the pan is ultimately deglazed with the reserved chickpea-cooking liquid.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound ground beef or other meat
4 cups cooked or canned chickpeas (2 cups of the cooking or canning liquid reserved)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 ancho or chipotle chile, soaked, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or 1 teaspoon good-quality chili powder, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Minced fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Turn the heat to high under a large, deep skillet and add the meat a little at a time, breaking it into small pieces as you do so. Stir and break up the meat a bit more, then add the chickpeas. Keep the heat high and continue to cook, stirring only occasionally, until the chickpeas begin to brown and pop, 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t worry if the mixture sticks a bit, but if it begins to scorch, lower the heat slightly.

    Step 2

    Add the cumin, chile, and garlic and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the reserved cooking liquid and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan if necessary to loosen any browned bits that have stuck. Season with salt and pepper, then turn the heat to medium-low; continue to cook until the mixture is no longer soupy but not completely dry.

    Step 3

    Stir in the olive oil, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Garnish if you like and serve immediately, with rice or pita bread.

From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books. Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
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