Chickpeas Ras el Hanout

This traditional Moroccan blend is warming and rich in every sense of the world. In Arabic, “Ras el Hanout” translates to “head of the shop,” a clever shorthand for the very best spices a seller can offer.

Serves: 4

Fresh Ingredients

• 1 oz of mint, stems removed & discarded
• ½ bunch fresh parsley
• ½ red onion, peeled
• 2 lemons, zested
• ½ head of garlic, peeled

Pantry Ingredients

• 1 Chickpeas Ras el Hanout Spice Kit
• 3 16 oz. cans of chickpeas
• 6 oz. vegetable stock or water
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp kosher salt

Goes great with: Roasted eggplant and couscous

Instructions

1. Pour the chickpeas into a colander or strainer over the sink and allow the excess liquid to drain.
2. In a food processor, combine all the spice pods, ¼ cup EVOO, ½ tsp salt, peeled garlic cloves, and the zest of 1 lemon (save the lemon). Process until the ingredients form a uniform paste.
3. Scrape the paste into a deep sauté pan or shallow sauce pan. On low heat, slowly caramelize the paste by stirring it frequently with a whisk or rubber spatula for 10 minutes. X
4. Deglaze the pan with the vegetable stock or water and allow the broth to come to a slow simmer. Once simmering, add the strained chickpeas to the pan along with 1 tbsp of salt. Let simmer for 10 minutes or until most of the stock has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat & set aside.
5. Prepare the garnish: finely dice ½ red onion. Roughly chop ½ bunch of fresh parsley, stems included. Zest the other lemon (save the lemon). Pick the mint leaves. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl with ½ tbsp salt and ¼ cup EVOO. Cut both of the zested lemons in half.
6. Divide the chickpeas into 4 portions and plate, giving each portion a fresh squeeze of lemon. Divide the garnish evenly between the 4 bowls. Enjoy!