COOK THE BOOK: CHICKPEA BROCCOLI CASSEROLE (pg. 96)

Ah, time to get back on the horse. It’s been a slow transition from cooking dishes appropriate for cold, winter evenings to the lighter and fresher cooking we naturally crave when the days get longer and the temperature turns warmer. Its been a lot of veggie burger nights (delicious by the way), simple salads and, oh dear, the occasional Chinese takeout (vegetable lo mein, fried rice, and dumplings usually).

The Baltimore Farmer’s market opened the first Sunday in May and we were there! It drew quite a crowd as expected but a good time was had by all and it was certainly a great impetus to get back to buying fresh ingredients, getting back into the kitchen and cooking new and interesting meals. Here are a few photos of the fun we had sampling falafel, vegan waffles, veggie samosas while loading up on some plants, food stuffs and more. Can’t wait to go back as summer unveils its fruitful bounty.

So, this trip was an inspiration to get back to the blog, and back to cooking from Vegan With a Vengeance. In hindsight this recipe must have only been inspired in a very general sense by the trip to the Farmers Market because it really doesn’t scream Summer. In any case the nights are still cool and we had most of the ingredients, on an already short list, in the house. The easy preparation was perfect for a Monday evening. So, I present Chickpea Broccoli Casserole (pg. 96)

Get your ingredients together:

A few cans of chickpeas, sliced onion, grated carrots, broccoli florets, chives, whole wheat bread crumbs, olive oil and vegetable broth.

Mash the chickpeas (this was not as easy as it sounds!)

Add the vegetables, then the breadcrumbs, then the oil. Mix, mix and mix.

The last addition is the vegetable broth and s+p, and you guessed mix well.

Put the whole smushy pile in a 9x13 dish and press it in firmly.

Cook covered for 45 minutes, and uncover for another 15.

Voila! Dinner is served.

The book definitely undersells this recipe describing it as “a little bland, but not in a bad way”. Hmm, we loved it. The broccoli became tender but added just enough texture. Perhaps we'd even put more broccoli in next time. Herbed breadcrumbs sprinkled on top, then toasted under the broiler, could make a more interesting finish too but it was good just the same. Inspired by the mucho expensive flavored oils at Williams Sonoma we made our own with chile flakes, smoked paprika, sundried tomato and a splash of sherry vinegar. A drizzle of this beautifully colored oiled around the plate and, (as the British say) Bob’s Your Uncle.

And a little tease, next up Potato-Asparagus Soup . . .