Chickpea Salad: Protein-Packed Lunch

Functional Nutrition Training

Recipe Ingredients

• 1½ pounds (3½ cups) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water to cover generously
• 1 whole head garlic, plus 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 dried hot chilies
• 1 teaspoon plus ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon baking soda (optional)
• ¾ cup extra-​virgin olive oil
• 2 medium sweet onions, cut into large dice (3 cups)
• 5 carrots, cut into large dice (2½ cups)
• 1 tablespoon hot pepper flakes
• 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1 cup white wine
• 1½ teaspoons honey
• 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 small bunches Swiss chard, washed, trimmed, and plucked into large bite-sized pieces

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked chickpeas and put them in a pot with water to cover by 3 inches.
2. Rub the excess paper from the head of garlic, trim its root end to remove any dirt, and cut off the top ½ inch to expose the cloves. Add the garlic to the pot along with the bay leaves, chilies, and 1 teaspoon of the salt; bring the water to a boil; and boil for a few minutes, skimming off the foam. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook until the chickpeas are tender but still firm in their skins, 1½ to 2 hours. If they haven't started to soften after 1½ hours, add the baking soda. Once the chickpeas are tender, remove them from the heat. They can stay in their cooking liquid for up to 2 hours on the stovetop.
3. Meanwhile, heat a large high-​sided sauté pan over medium-​high heat and add ½ cup of the olive oil and the onions. Cook until the onions turn light golden brown at the edges, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, increase the heat, and cook until the corners of the carrots brown and become slightly rounded, about 8 minutes; they should be crisp-​tender and slightly resistant to the bite at the center. (This dish is best served warm or at room temperature, and nobody wants to eat mushy, leftover carrots in a lemony vinaigrette; you want cooked, vibrant "salad carrots.")
4. At this point, you should have a coppery, oily base at the bottom of the pan. Add the hot pepper flakes and sliced garlic, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic is tender. Add the tomato paste, both paprikas, and the rosemary; increase the heat to medium-​high; and stir until the tomato paste begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the white wine to deglaze, and bring everything to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release its flavor. Add the lemon juice, honey, and the remaining ¼ cup olive oil and simmer for a few minutes to thicken the liquid, then taste for seasoning. The sauce should be a balance of sweet and sour, complemented by the richness of the olive oil. Add more salt as needed.
6. Drain the chickpeas in a colander (discard the aromatics) and shake to remove excess moisture. Add them to the sauté pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the vinaigrette coats the chickpeas and they taste infused with the sauce, about 15 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water; if it's too thin, reduce it further. (If you have other things to do, you can leave the chickpeas to marinate at this point.) 
7. When you're ready to serve the salad, return the pan to medium heat, add the Swiss chard, and fold it in. Cook very briefly, just until the chard starts to wilt.
8. Immediately transfer the chickpea mixture to a wide platter, scraping all of the flavorful sauce over the top. It should pool around the salad in a shiny, rusty layer. This salad is just as delicious warm as it is at room temperature. You can assemble it up to an hour ahead; to refresh it, spoon the juices over the chickpeas.