Intense Chickpeas in Seriously Spicy Tomato Sauce
De Arbol (Capsicum Annuum) means tree like in Spanish. The plant has thick, upright, woody stems and the chile itself is narrow, curved and bright red in color. Believed to be closely related to the pequin, the De Arbol is thin fleshed, with tannic, smoky, grassy flavor and searing heat. This chile has a heat range of 7.5 on the heat scale of 1-10. De Arbol Chiles are comparable to a Cayenne Pepper. Scoville heat units 15,000 to 30,000.
Suggested Use:
De Arbol is a hot chile and a staple in Southwest kitchens. Add some heat to your next salsa or Mexican dish. Be adventurous and add them to your next stew or chili along with the other spices Add some heat to your next salsa or Mexican dish.
Ingredients
For the chickpeas (makes extra):
2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight covered in water by at least 4″
1 onion, peeled and cut in 1/2
1 carrot, ends trimmed
1 stalk celery
2 tsp olive oil
salt, pepper
For the spicy sauce:
10-12 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbs + 2 Tbs olive oil
2-3 dried chilies, whole (Arbol and Thai Bird work well)
1 tsp dried chili flakes
1 can tomatoes, whole or diced
1 wedge of parmesan rind 1″-2″ (optional)
2-3 dashes Tapatio (as many as you can take, really. I used about 15)
salt, pepper
Garnish (all optional)
fresh basil, oregano, good quality salt, freshly cracked black pepper, parmesan cheese
Instructions
For the chickpeas:
Drain the chickpeas and rinse well.
Put them in a large pot covered by cold water by at least 2″
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, skimming off any bubbles or foam that rise to the top.
When the chickpeas are tender, stir in the olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. It will take a lot of salt!
For the Sauce:
Heat 2 Tbs oil in a large saute pan.
Add the garlic, whole chilies, and chili flakes and saute until the garlic is soft and translucent.
Add the tomatoes, parmesan rind, and a pinch of salt and pepper with a few of dashes of Tapatio.
Simmer gently until the sauce is thickened and much of the liquid is reduced (20-30 min).
Add 2 cups chickpeas with 1/4 cup of the chickpea cooking liquid.
Gently simmer for 5-10 minutes, add the rest of the olive oil, taste, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh herbs, good-quality salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a mound of freshly grated or shaved parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
From tasteeverything.com