Chickpea and Spinach With Fresh Figs and Black Olives Tajine. |
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Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 90 Minutes |
Ready In: 120 Minutes Servings: 10 |
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I thought I might do a little variation on a traditional morrocan dish (because I bought myself a new Tajine). This Dish has the unusual combination of orange zest and fresh green chillies and whole spices.The Tajine I am using is a 32cm one (quite large but everything will fit in a large casserole dish). And please try to use Fresh figs (I have a little tree that gives me some fruit now and then) and tinned spinach (it just has that deeper taste). I just like it in a bowl with warm pita or soft tortilla but can be served with couscous or boiled rice. Please enjoy and let me know what you think...I love it. Ingredients:
500 g chickpeas |
800 g spinach |
10 pitted black olives |
8 figs, quartered |
4 green chilies |
2 oranges, zest of |
1 large onion, sliced |
4 teaspoons chopped garlic |
2 pints vegetable stock |
8 tablespoons olive oil, 6tbs to cook and 2tbs to dress |
1 bunch of chopped fresh coriander |
2 tablespoons whole dried coriander |
1 tablespoon whole dried cumin seed |
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn |
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds |
2 tablespoons coriander powder |
1 tablespoon cumin powder |
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon |
1/2 tablespoon bay leaf powder |
salt, to tasty |
Directions:
1. Heat your 6 tbls of olive oil in a pan and fry your onions till see through (not golden). Add your garlic now cook till golden.
2. Add your olives and gently cook till they soften slightly (don't let your onion and garlic burn).
3. lower the heat and add your WHOLE SPICE let them heat through for a min or two (you should smell a nutty scent).Remove from heat.
4. Add the POWDER SPICE to the warm pan and stir put back on a low heat and keep moving the mix around for no more than a min (don't let it burn) it may smell muddy-that's the cinnamon and chile (they don't like each other but taste great together) but that means it's ready.
5. Mix in your TINNED drained spinach,.
6. Add your veg stock to the mixture and stir in, bring too simmer point and remove from heat.
7. Put your chickpeas (rinsed and drained) into your Tajine or casserole and stir in the mixture. Make sure you cover with a lid and place in a cold oven.
8. Cook for one and a half hours on 200°C.
9. While that's simmering away place together the figs, coriander, chilie, and 2 tbps of olive oil.and mix gently together, set aside to let the flavours meld.
10. After an hour and a half remove from the oven and pour the fig mix over the spinach and chickpeas, recover and cook for a further 30 minutes-don't stir.
11. Remove from the oven and now gently turn it all together and salt to taste.
12. Sprinkle the orange zest over and take to the table.
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