This is my submission to My Legume Love Affair, hosted by me this month and brought to us by Susan from the Well Seasoned Cook. You have until June 30th to enter 😀
This is another traditional Spanish dish that can have many variations. Each family claiming to have the best recipe. This particular recipe is reminiscent of what my family makes, however, my mother did let me know that I forgot the pan frito!! Sorry mami.. I’ll add it in the recipe 😉
Being that spinach is now going out of season, I was excited to try water spinach, the asian green Kang Kong.
When I visited Yang at the farmers market, he showed me these beautiful greens. He explained to me how they were used in his culture and right away I knew I had to try them out in this Spanish dish. They worked beautifully as they were deliciously mild and sweet. I’m excited to get another bunch of these next week to try in a different dish. This dish is quite simple to create at home. Although for the best in flavors, you’ll need to soak dry garbanzo’s overnight and cook them the next day to make a broth of it’s own that is used in the final dish. You can take shortcuts and use canned garbanzo beans, however, flavor and depth will be effected.
Garbanzos con Espinaca
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry garbanzo beans soaked overnight ( or 2 cans garbanzo beans)
For cooking the garbanzo’s
- 1 carrot
- 1/2 white onion
- 1 celery stick
- 2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
The Garbanzo’s con Espinaca
- 1 bunch water spinach (Kang Kong), or spinach
- 4 pieces bacon, chopped
- 6-8 garlic cloves sliced
- 3 tbls red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon Spanish Paprika, Pimenton
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns (1/4 tsp ground pepper)
- 1 tsp salt
Method:
- The night before soak 1 cup dry garbanzo beans overnight
- The following day, in a large dutch oven add the garbanzo beans, carrot, 1/2 white onion, and celery.
- Cover the beans and vegetables with water at least 2″ above ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and add the evoo, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer over medium heat for 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until the beans are tender.
- Set Aside
- Once the garbanzos are done, In a large cast iron pot or dutch oven, add a drizzle of evoo and the bacon pieces. Cook until browned.
- Add the garlic and toss for 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garbanzo beans (about 3 cups) and mix thoroughly.
- Add the red wine vinegar, Spanish paprika, and about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups of the reserved cooking broth that you cooked the garbanzos in.
- With a mortar and pestle, grind 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp black peppercorn and 1 tsp salt.
- Add the ground spices to the garbanzo’s, reduce the heat and simmer on low.
- While the garbanzos are simmering, In another large pot, bring water sprinkled with salt to a boil. Add the spinach and cook for 5 -7 minutes or until wilted, (not soggy).
- When the spinach is done cooking, add to the garbanzo’s and mix thoroughly. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- To serve with this meal, fry a couple pieces of bread in evoo until browned on both sides. Place on top 😉
- Serve.
Buen Provecho!!
This post is also a part of Gnowfglins Tuesday Twister and Girlichef’s Two for Tuesday.
What a great classic and family tradition.
I made this after seeing it on Smitten Kitchen. It is so healthy-delicious!!!
Gorgeous meal, Diana!! Mami is keeping you in check 😉 I definitely want to try this soon.
yum, what a classic dish. i love adding garbanzo beans to my dishes and it's nice to see them be a main ingredient in a meal.
Delicious. Indians make a similar dish with chickpeas and spinach, but we make it spicy. This is a beautiful take on two of my favourite ingredients!
spinach n chickpeas…so healthy n my fav….looks delious n yum with nice blend of ingredients
Such a delicious combination and a wonderful healthy dish! I would love to make it soon!
Diana that looks like a great combo 🙂
I think that one of my most favorite food combos IS spinach and garbanzo beans! I've always had it in some kind of Indian curry dish, but this is beautiful, gorgeous and healthy. I've never heard of these Kang Kong spinach! Will look for them at my local farmers market as well. thanks for the new piece of info!
oh wow love this you hooked me with the facebook snap yum
Spinach, garbanzo beans and bacon – what a heavenly combo! Can't wait to try this.
I received my Fat book – oh it is heavenly, putting together a post or more featuring it – thanks again!
…ps, thanks for linking to Two for Tuesdays!! ;)…and yeah, he hooks all the ladies w/ those eyes, LOL!!!
This is so getting added to the list of recipes to try. I have a love affair with dark greens, but never thought to combine them with beans! I am down with the bacon grease of course! Thanks so much for sharing the real food love on the Two for Tuesday recipe blog hop! 🙂 Alex
This recipe sounds and looks absolutely fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing it on our Two for Tuesday blog hop!
Oh, this sounds good too! We love anything with garbanzos. Nice to learn about this water spinach.
LL
I grew up in a part Indian/Trinidadian household back in the Caribbean (what a combination, right?) so we had garbanzo (channa) often. Every time I see it in a recipe, it brings back such warm feelings of a long time ago. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, that looks delicious!!
-Elizabeth
Love this…I would use this at the farmers market, store, library, zoo and I will be traveling with two kids by myself…..
oops commented in the wrong spot…Sorry 😛 Long day.
This looks like a good and hearty garbanzo dish. I've never tried water spinach, I like that you're creating a fusion of cultural influences in your dishes.