Thursday, March 24, 2011

Flat Bread with Roasted Garbanzo Bean Puree

Pin It I feel like I'm stuck in a bit of cooking rut. Even when I crack open a cookbook, I'm not excited by any recipes. When I get stuck in a rut, I go to my local market and see if anything inspires me. I found these fresh garbanzo beans and felt that maybe I can make something delicious out of them.


These garbanzo beans came with their shells, which are tough and takes a bit of time to remove. But once you crack open those shells, you'll see gorgeous pale green garbanzo beans. I quickly blanched them and then tossed them in a hot pan with some olive oil, whole peeled garlic, salt and some cayenne pepper. I then roasted them for 25 to 30 minutes in a 425-degree oven. The roasted garbanzo beans and garlic are then processed into a puree with some water, olive oil, and lemon juice.


I also made some simple Indian flat bread (chapati), smeared some garbanzo bean puree on top and added sliced tomatoes and fresh arugula. Just a bit of cracked black pepper and you've got a nutritious hand roll/sandwich thingy. Fresh garbanzo beans taste more green than dried beans, which are nice and creamy but sometimes can be a bit flavorless. The young beans taste a bit like fresh peas -- crunchy and juicy. So, next time, try some fresh garbanzo beans if you see them at your local market!

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