CHICKPEAS

IS THE CHICKPEA a pea or a bean? The answer is both and neither. I rely on chickpeas so much in my cooking. They’re the perfect food: inexpensive, simple to store, easy to soak overnight, full of nutrition, and the cooking process is a snap. I can’t understand why we Americans don’t use chickpeas more. They’re not just that unseasoned thing on the salad bar. Said to be the first domesticated plant, and called hummus in Arabic, chickpeas are vital to cuisines from Middle Eastern to Indian to Mediterranean.

Use in Cranberry Beans with Smoky Bacon & Collards (here).