Jammy Zucchini & Chickpeas with Tahini
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- good-quality tahini 0.33 cup
- freshly squeezed lemon juice 2.5-3 tbsp
- pure maple syrup 2 tsp
- kosher salt ½ tsp
- Freshly
- extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
- ground cumin ½ tsp
- ground coriander ½ tsp
- ice water 2-4 tbsp
- Cooked Farro 2 ½ cup
- chickpeas 2
- extra virgin olive oil 4 tbsp
- Kosher
- zucchini 1 ½ lb
- thinly sliced garlic cloves labeled “for Jammy Zucchini” from 6
- flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems 1 handful
- medium lemons ½
Spiced Tahini
Short on time? Skip the spiced oil (step 2) and just whisk 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp each of ground cumin and coriander into the other ingredients in step 1. Taste, adding more olive oil or spices as desired.
Got leftover jammy zucchini? Schmear some vegan ricotta (such as the whipped tofu or tofu ricotta) on a slice of crusty bread, top with jammy zucchini, and add the tiniest drizzle of agave nectar on top. Storage: Store the farro, zucchini, and chickpea mixture in the fridge for 2 to 3 days separate from the Spiced Tahini Sauce. Reheat the farro mixture in a microwave-safe bowl with a few sprinkles of water; cover and heat until warmed through. Top with the Spiced Tahini Sauce right before serving along with freshly chopped parsley if you have any. Nutrition boost: For added veggie content, top your bowl with halved cherry tomatoes or diced red bell pepper (or supplement with any leftover roasted veggies you have). For added protein, make a batch of my baked tofu while the chickpeas roast (arrange another rack in the bottom of the oven and bake both at the same temperature), or use cubed store-bought pre-baked tofu. Shortcut: No-oven option: Skip roasting the chickpeas. Instead, drain, rinse, and dry well. Toss the chickpeas with a glug of extra virgin olive oil and several squeezes of lemon juice (or good-quality red wine/white wine/champagne vinegar). If you have pomegranate molasses on hand, add in a healthy drizzle of that too. Season with salt and pepper until the chickpeas taste well-seasoned. Finely chop a handful of flat-leaf parsley and fold it into the chickpeas. Marinate the chickpeas until the zucchini is done cooking.
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1Prepare: good-quality tahini , freshly squeezed lemon juice , pure maple syrup , kosher salt , Freshly cracked black pepper, extra virgin olive oil , ground cumin , ground coriander , ice water .
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2In a bowl (or wide-mouth glass jar), add the tahini, 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, and several cracks of black pepper. Set aside for now.
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3Heat the olive oil in a small or medium frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin and coriander and stir continuously for about 20 seconds , or until very aromatic. Immediately pour into the tahini sauce. Whisk well until the sauce starts to come together.
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4Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, whisking as you go. It may get stiff, but as you continue whisking, it will turn into a sauce. Add more water as needed until creamy yet spoonable.
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5Taste for seasonings, adding more lemon juice for tang, maple syrup for sweetness, or salt/pepper as needed.
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6Store in a sealed, labeled jar in the fridge for about 1 week.
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7Gather: Cooked Farro , chickpeas , extra virgin olive oil , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, zucchini , thinly sliced garlic cloves labeled “for Jammy Zucchini” from , flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems , medium lemons , 12 1/2 tbsp Spiced Tahini (from meal prep).
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8Take the Cooked Farro out of the fridge to come to room temp.
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9Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat to 425ºF / 220ºC.
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10Transfer the chickpeas to a dish towel to pat them dry as much as you can. On a sheet pan, toss the chickpeas with 1 1/2 tbsp oil, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and a few twists of pepper, spreading out as much as you can. Roast for 20 minutes , then shake the pan back and forth to toss. Rotate the pan 180º and roast for 10 more minutes, until somewhat crisp and golden brown.
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11While the chickpeas roast, make the jammy zucchini. Pat dry any residual moisture on the zucchini. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add 2 1/2 tbsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the zucchini and toss to coat it in the oil. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt and spread out in a single layer as much as possible. Cook without stirring for 4 minutes to allow some browning. Toss well, then add the sliced garlic. Stir frequently and cook for 3-4 minutes , or until the zucchini starts to break down. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, or until the zucchini is soft and jammy. If it sticks a lot, or the garlic browns, reduce the heat more. Remove from the heat.
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12While the zucchini and chickpeas cook, prepare your side salad (if you’re making one) then finish the remaining ingredients. Chop the parsley. Set aside a bit for the garnish. Transfer the Cooked Farro to a large microwave-safe bowl, add a few sprinkles of water, cover, and heat until warmed through. Stir the parsley into the farro (minus the garnish). Season the farro with 1 1/2-3 tsp lemon juice and a few pinches of salt and pepper.
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13Fold the zucchini and chickpeas into the farro and toss. Divide between bowls and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of Spiced Tahini onto each bowl. Squeeze a bit more lemon juice or vinegar on top, if desired. Garnish with reserved parsley. Serve with your side salad, if you made one.