But, it just seemed to be lacking that wow. I stuck right to the recipe except for cutting it in half to serve two & lengthening some of the cooking time (otherwise we would have had some pretty underdone bacon). I think it might just be a good starting point to be improved upon. Perhaps upping the amount or adding to the seasonings. Maybe adding some more vegetables like red pepper. I also can't get the idea out of my head that changing the chickpeas out for some creamy white beans would be really good too.
Chickpeas with Broccoli Rabe & Bacon
(adapted from Cooking Light March '10)
1/2 lb broccoli rabe, trimmed & cut into 2" pieces
1/2 T olive oil
3 sliced of bacon, roughly chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 t dried oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
7 1/2 oz chickpeas, drained & rinsed
salt & pepper
grated Parmesan
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe & let cook for 2 minutes. Drain & set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon & cook for 3 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the onion, oregano & red pepper. Cook for 4 - 5 more minutes, until the onion is translucent & the bacon is just starting to crisp. Stir in the garlic & cook for another 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas & broccoli rabe & cook until everything is heated through. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Divide between two serving dishes & top with grated Parmesan.
2 servings.
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© 2007-2010 Kathy Lewinski
© 2007-2010 Kathy Lewinski
Great dish! Hubs will love the bacon:)
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge chickpea fan so I'd love this. Some creamy white beans would probably be pretty delicious as well.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great dish and the recipe looks good as is. Do you think adding a splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar would help?
ReplyDeletealthough i love chickpeas, i think you might be right about using white beans instead. and yes to the red pepper--it'll add color and crunch!
ReplyDeleteMaybe so pasta... maybe some dressing like you said. But I do love all the flavors here!
ReplyDeleteMmm, digging the bacon add (plus the fresh, shaved parmesan cheese atop). Agreed on the red peppers.. maybe some fruit could jazz it up a tad, too - strawberries, honeydew melon or orange/tangerine, etc.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to see some new meal ideas, I've never done chickpeas before - I'll have to give them a whirl!
I'm always looking for a new way to cook chickpeas and this looks phenomenal! I will have to try it sometime.
ReplyDeleteMaybe try using dried and freshly cooked chick peas instead of canned? That alone would make a world of difference.
ReplyDeleteSome good ideas here, thanks everyone.
ReplyDeleteToyLady - surprisingly this was the first time I actually did used dried & freshly cooked chickpeas, they did make a difference
nice balance...a little healthy, a little filling, lots of bacon flavour.
ReplyDeleteIt was over 80 degrees here today which is quite a warm spring for IL! But this salad sounds just about perfect for tonight's dinner!
ReplyDeleteSqueeze of lemon juice - it makes chickpeas just taste so much brighter! But I think it looks like such a simple and delicious dish.
ReplyDeleteI made this with one extra piece of bacon, no oil, and substituted garlic scapes for the garlic. it added a bright green flavor that was really nice. Great recipe!
ReplyDelete