UPSIDE-DOWN CHICKPEA
PIE
Let’s assume for a moment that you have taken
the plunge and decided for a season to eat in
a vegan or vegetarian manner. You want to try
a relatively elaborate concoction, just to see
what it entails and if it’s worth the effort. This
could be your experiment.
SERVES 4
(^1) ⁄ 16 teaspoon saff ron powder
¼ cup water
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped (yield 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, bashed and chopped
1 small (2–3 inches) eggplant, peeled and cut
into ¾-inch pieces
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
(^1) ⁄ 16 teaspoon ground cinnamon
(^1) ⁄ 16 teaspoon ground cloves
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 pound fresh chickpeas
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 ounces toasted almonds
2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
(see page 288)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh spearmint
Stir the saffron into the water to dissolve. Add
the rice, mix well, and set aside.
Heat ½ teaspoon of the oil in a high-sided
skillet over medium-high. Sauté the onion for
5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and eggplant.
Add the cumin, allspice, cardamom, cinna
mon, cloves, salt, black pepper, and almond
extract. Continue cooking for 3 more minutes,
then remove to a plate to keep warm.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan
without washing it. When it’s nice and hot,
add the chickpeas and toss well for 2 minutes.
When browned, return the eggplant mixture
to the pan, add the lemon juice, and cook for
5 minutes. Stir in the toasted almonds.
Spread the mixture evenly in a greased
10-inch nonstick skillet. Cover with the rice
mixture and pour 1½ cups of the stock over the
top. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low,
cover, and cook 10 minutes. Remove the cover
and shake the pan to make sure the vegetables
are not sticking Press the uncooked rice down
into the liquid, adding more stock as you need
it. Place the lid back on and cook 15 more min
utes or until the rice is tender and the liquid
has been absorbed.
Cover the pan with a serving plate and turn
it over carefully. The pie should slip right out.
Combine the parsley and mint and scatter over
the top. Cut into 4 wedges and serve on hot
plates.
Per serving : 397 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat (3%
calories from saturated fat), 78 g carbohydrate, 15 g
protein, 13 g dietary fiber, 449 mg sodium. Ex-
changes: 3 ½ Starch, 2 Vegetable, 1 Fat
CHICKPEAS • 123