Page 23 - ALG Issue 2 2020

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion
and garlic over a medium heat until dark and smoky - around 6-8 minutes. Blend with a hand blender or in a food processor with the rest of the ingredients, including the now peeled pepper and fresh or soaked chillies. This can also be done with a mortar and pestle.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add chilli powder to taste.
All recipes are taken from Erin’s book “The Veg Table” available at www. naturalcookeryschool. com/.
Chickpeas and spinach with chermoula
GF VE
This recipe makes use of early summer ingredients including fresh herbs
and spinach or chard. Chickpeas and spinach are two of the most universally liked ingredients. Paired together with chermoula, a marinade is made from garlic, herbs and lemon, then finished with creamy yoghurt; this dish delivers. To ensure the yoghurt does not curdle, before stirring it in, remove the dish from the heat and leave to cool for a minute. If the yoghurt does curdle, don’t worry, it’s fine to eat.
Serves 4
To make the chermoula
2-3 garlic cloves
1⁄2 tsp paprika
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp harissa, shop bought or homemade (see recipe below)
3 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
3 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped 2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1⁄2 preserved lemon, roughly chopped
1⁄4 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100ml water
200g baby spinach or roughly chopped larger spinach or chard
4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
VEGAN VERSION
Swap good quality vegan margarine or extra olive oil for butter.
To make the chermoula, place all the chermoula ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. Heat a large frying pan or saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the oil and butter and sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn. Add the chermoula, chickpeas and 100 ml of water, simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and cover with a lid. Cook until the spinach has just wilted. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for a minute then stir in the yoghurt and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Allotment and Leisure Gardener 23