RECIPES

Chickpeas with yogurt, green garlic and herbs

At the fundraising party last weekend, this was my favorite dish.  I made it with 100% Minnesota ingredients (except salt).   You could replace the sunflower oil with sunflower oil and use whatever herbs you have in the garden.

I realize this is similar to the last recipe I posted, but I think this is a great dish for the warm weather and very easy.

2 Cups dry chickpeas

Water 

1 bunch of  oregano, mint and chives.  Stems separated and leaves minced.

5 green garlic bulbs or however many you have

2 Tablespoons sunflower oil

1 Cup yogurt

Salt

Soak chickpeas overnight in water.  Strain and replace water.  Set on medium heat, add herbs wrapped in cheese cloth.  I used oregano and mint stems as well as green garlic ends.  Simmer for 2 hours or until completely tender but not falling apart, at the end of the cooking, add salt to taste.  Let the beans cool in the cooking liquid.  Don’t discard the cooking liquid as chickpeas and herbs make for a great broth, strain it off and use it in another recipe or eat it as a soup the next day.

Trim some of the green ends of the garlic and use in the chickpea broth.  Dress the green garlic with some of the sunflower oil and salt  and lay them over a hot grill.  Char on all sides and then move to the edge of the grill to cook through.  Let the bulbs cool to room temperature and then cut into bite size pieces.

Mix the green garlic, chickpeas, yogurt, salt,  sunflower oil and minced oregano, mint and chives.  Salt to taste and serve.  Should be good for several days.