Spanish-Inspired Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach With Chickpeas)

Photograph by Christine Moss

Inspired by recent travels to southern Spain, Chef Christine Moss created this comfort-food recipe of spinach & chickpeas as a kiss for your soul and your palate

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked Garbanzo Beans (or canned)
• ½ cup diced Spanish Onion
• ¼ cup Olive Oil + 1 TBSP
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 1-2 tsp. Smoked Paprika (Pimenton De la Vera)
• Black Pepper to taste
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. Cumin
• 1 lb. bag of Baby Spinach
• 2 thick slices day old Bread (Baguette or Sourdough) crusts removed (or Gluten Free Bread)
• 6 Plum Tomatoes, quartered
• 1 TBSP Sherry Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar

Directions:

1. Oil the bottom of a large sauté pan with half of the olive oil and place it on medium-high heat.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until tender then remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the other half of the olive oil to the same pan and fry the bread on each side until crispy. Set aside.
4. Place the sautéed onion, garlic and the fried bread into a food processor. Break it into smaller pieces if necessary for it to fit. (Chop finely if you do not have a food processor). Add in the uncooked quartered tomatoes and blend together into a sauce.
5. Wipe the sauté pan clean, add in fresh olive oil and the pureed tomato-bread sauce. Place on a medium heat and bring to a simmer.
6. Lower the heat to low and add in the smoked paprika, cumin, salt and black pepper. Stir together.
7. Add in the cooked chickpeas and mix together.
8. Bring back up to a simmer and begin adding in the spinach a little at a time. As it cooks down add in more spinach until it is all in. Simmer on low for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally from the bottom so it doesn't stick too much.
9. Serve over toasted bread with olive oil drizzled over the top, or as a main meal on a bed of rice.

 ~ By Chef Christine Moss, The Garden Cafe Woodstock