The Greek island of Ikaria has a wealth of vegetable dishes, many of which call for lavish amounts of legumes, often braised with tomatoes in olive oil.
Citrus and sugar — typically in the form of honey — also make frequent appearances, a sweet-savory hallmark of the cuisine that is used to transform otherwise simple dishes.
During a trip to the island, Greek cooking expert Diane Kochilas introduced us to an ultra-simple yet remarkably delicious dish of chickpeas layered with tomatoes, herbs, orange and honey that is baked for a couple hours to meld and concentrate the flavors.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we simmer canned chickpeas on the stovetop with many of the same ingredients. It’s ready in under an hour, with the same rich, complex flavors found in the original.
Don’t forget to reserve some of the chickpea liquid before draining. The liquid lends the dish body and flavor that water cannot.
The dish is best when made with a strong, dark honey, such as buckwheat, but a milder variety works, too. Orange blossom honey is a good option, as it echoes the citrus notes of the orange zest and juice. Serve with crusty bread and some briny feta alongside.
Greek-Style Braised Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Orange
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey, divided
Three 15½-ounce cans chickpeas, drained, ¼ cup liquid reserved
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus ¼ cup orange juice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
½ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions:
In a large Dutch oven over medium, combine the oil, tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of the honey. Cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste begins to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, then stir in the tomatoes with their juices. Bring to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir in the onion, garlic, bay, rosemary, orange juice, ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the reserved chickpea liquid. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the oregano and orange zest. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, then drizzle with the remaining honey and additional oil.