Recipe: Slow-cooked Chickpeas with Spicy Peppers and Arugula

These chickpeas are rich, spicy and delicious. The recipe calls for four different types of peppers, which offer a deeper flavour, but feel free to use whatever you can find. You may also substitute the hot peppers with 1 to 2 teaspoons of cayenne, depending on your heat tolerance. Bitter and peppery, the arugula adds a fine contrast to the heat. You can serve this as a side dish with pulled pork or other pork dishes, but it's also wonderful on its own with garlic bread and a cheese-and-roasted-fennel salad as a meatless-Monday vegetarian dinner. Canned, rinsed chickpeas are an easy substitute for dried. Just add them to the pepper mixture.

Servings: 4 to 6

Ready Time: 2 hours, not including soaking time

Chickpeas

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water

6 cups water

1 cup chopped canned tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 red pepper, ribs removed and cut in 1/2-inch dice

1 poblano pepper, ribs removed and cut in 1/2-inch dice

1 long red chili pepper, seeded and cut in 1/4-inch dice

1 banana pepper, seeded and cut in 1/4-inch dice

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 tsp chili flakes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Arugula salad

2 cups baby arugula

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Accompaniment

4 to 6 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough baguette, toasted

Method

Soak chickpeas overnight, then drain and rinse. Combine in a pot with water, tomatoes, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and slowly simmer, covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or until chickpeas are tender). Drain and set aside, reserving liquid separately.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add red, poblano, red chili and banana peppers and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes (or until softened). Add garlic and chili flakes and cook until garlic is lightly browned (about 1 minute more).

Add chickpeas and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes (or until chickpeas are coated with oil and have absorbed the flavour of the peppers). Pour in 2 cups reserved cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 13 to 15 minutes (or until liquid is thickened but still saucy). Season with salt and pepper.

To make salad, toss arugula with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Place baguette toasts on plates. Spoon chickpea-pepper mixture over top. Finish with arugula salad.