Go Back

Chickpeas with Saffron

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound dried chickpeas rinsed, picked over and soaked overnight with cold water to cover plus a pinch of baking soda
  • 1 onion peeled
  • 1 head of garlic

For the sofrito:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion peeled and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes chopped or 1 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 generous pinch saffron threads
  • 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • a handful cilantro chopped, if desired

Instructions
 

  • Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a large soup pot. Drop in the whole onion, head of garlic and pour in the beans. Give them a hard boil with heat on high for 10 minutes, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let beans simmer, covered for an hour.
  • Meanwhile in a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, for about 3 minutes, or until shimmering. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté the vegetables for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until they soften and smell fragrant. Reduce heat to medium and pour in the chopped tomatoes. Add the liquid smoke and smoked paprika, crumble in the saffron threads and and add it to the tomatoes. Stir together.
  • Continue cooking and stirring for about 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken and dark to a brick color.
  • Remove the lid from the bean pot. Pour in the sofrito and stir to combine. Let the beans continue to cook, uncovered, for another 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce reduces and coats the beans.
  • Remove from heat and let cool. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with the fresh, chopped cilantro leaves, if using.