Spice (26 page)

This recipe can be prepared ahead and then served the next day.

M
AKES 1 TERRINE OR LOAF PAN TO SERVE 6 TO 8 AS A FIRST COURSE

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight in 6 cups water

1 small baking potato, peeled and cut into quarters

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped

4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

8 ounces stemmed spinach, washed and roughly chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic (about 2 large cloves)

3 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts (see page 91)

2 whole dried apricots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon dried currants

1 teaspoon Middle Eastern Five-Spice (page 109)

1 tablespoon tahini plus extra for garnish

3 plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded (see page 104)

1.
Drain the chickpeas and place them in a medium saucepan with 6 cups of water. Bring them to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 25 minutes, until the chickpeas are tender and soft and can be squeezed easily with your fingers.

2.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, place the potato, cover it with water, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until soft.

3.
Drain the chickpeas, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water.

4.
Drain the potato well in a colander and place it back in the pot. Mash the potato well with a fork. Stir in the butter and set aside. You should have about ¾ cup.

5.
Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, purée the chickpeas with 3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid. If the mixture is very dry, add the remaining tablespoon of liquid and purée until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. If you are making the jelly roll variation, as below, make sure to keep the mixture a bit on the dry side.

6.
Add the mashed potato to the chickpea purée and process it by pulsing it 3 or 4 times, until it’s incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the chickpea purée onto a baking sheet to cool for about 10 minutes. Cover it with plastic wrap and set it aside.

7.
In a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, cook the onion in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

8.
Stir in the spinach, adding half at a time, as there may be too much for you to add all at once. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until the spinach is soft and tender.

9.
Stir in the garlic, pine nuts, dried fruit, and five-spice and cook for 2 minutes more, until you can smell the garlic.

10.
Remove the spinach mixture from the heat and cool. Stir in the tahini and season with salt and pepper.

11.
Begin to assemble the terrine by lining a terrine mold with plastic wrap. Tear a piece of plastic wrap two times the length of the terrine so that the edges will hang over the sides of the mold, and you can use them to cover the terrine after it’s assembled. If you do not have a mold, you can make the terrine into a jelly roll, using plastic wrap (see variation, below).

12.
Place half of the chickpea purée on the bottom of the terrine mold and spread it into an even layer. Make the next layer by adding the spinach filling and spreading it in an even layer. Top with the remaining chickpea purée and spread it in an even layer.

13.
Cover the terrine with the plastic wrap hanging over the edges of the mold. Press down to pack the terrine. Leave it at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.

14.
Chop the tomato as finely as possible. Place it in small bowl and add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

15.
Turn out the chickpea terrine onto a plate and remove the plastic wrap. Slice the terrine into 1-inch-or-less slices and top with the tomato. Serve at room temperature. Drizzle a little extra tahini on top.

Jelly Roll Variation

Spread the chickpea purée out on a long sheet of plastic wrap (at least 16 × 10 ½ inches), making a flat, smooth rectangle about ½ inch thick or less. Leaving at least an inch of space along the short edges of the plastic wrap and 3 inches alongside the long edges, spread the spinach filling along the bottom ¾ of the rectangle. Starting from the bottom, roll the chickpea purée around the filling into a jelly roll shape, using the plastic wrap to help you roll. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap and tighten them, so that you have a smooth shape. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm, cut into 1-inch slices. Top each slice with chopped tomato and drizzle on extra tahini.

Cranberry Beans Stewed with Tomato and Cinnamon

Cranberry beans are pink when fresh and brownish purple when dry. They are speckled, plump, and deliciously creamy. They’re best if you can find them fresh in late summer, since they need no soaking, and they cook quickly and are buttery and dense. Dried beans make a good substitute, but you must soak them overnight. Soaking releases gas and softens them a little so they will cook more evenly. It’s always best to discard the soaking water and cook them in fresh water.

Beans that are stewed with vegetables and spices and served at room temperature as a mezze are called
plaki
in Turkey and Armenia. There are many variations. This recipe makes a complete protein when complemented with rice and yogurt, and it’s terrific served with warm goat cheese as a salad course or with grilled meat. The flavors are satisfying in all seasons.

M
AKES 6 CUPS TO SERVE
4 TO 6