Apricot Chick Peas Recipes

EASY CROCK POT MOROCCAN CHICKEN, CHICKPEA AND APRICOT TAGINE

Steps:

• PLEASE NOTE: This recipe lists canned chickpeas in the ingredients, NOT dried! If you use dried chickpeas, you MUST soak them and cook them first!
• Heat up olive oil in a frying pan/skillet & saute chopped onions & garlic for 5-10 minutes.
• Add chicken stock & gradually mix in flour or cornflour until well mixed & not lumpy.Add honey & tomato paste & mix well.
• Add herbs,spices & finely chopped ginger with salt & pepper to taste.
• Finally add tinned tomatoes & mix well.
• Pour the above tomato,onion & spice mix into slow cooker or tagine.
• Add chicken & chickpeas & mix well.
• Add dried apricots making sure they are covered by juice. (Add the carrots if using.).
• Give it a gentle but good stir to mix everything together well.
• Crock Pot or Slow Cooker - Cook on high for about 3 to 4 hours OR automatic with keep warm facility for up to 8 hours. (Please note that the cooking times depend on your crockpot, the cooking times I have suggested work fine with mine which is a Morphy Richards Slow Cooker.).
• If cooking in a Traditional Tagine, do as above & cook SLOWLY over gas or barbeque for about 2-3 hours.
• Electric Tagine cooking - same as the slowcooker. If you need to thicken it up towards the end of the cooking time, add cornflour which has been mixed with a little water & add to the tagine - mix well.
• Serve with freshly chopped Coriander/Cilantro sprinked on top & either with couscous, rice, fresh flat bread, pitta bread or salads. It is also good (if not traditional) served with fluffy pureed or mashed potatoes & pasta.
• Note: You can use chicken pieces or whole chicken which has been cut up into portions, but you will then need to brown them in a frying pan or skillet beforehand. Preserved lemons make a great addition, add them when you add the apricots and carrots.

LAMB SHANKS WITH APRICOTS AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• Season lamb shanks generously with salt and pepper. Place in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Cover with 6 cups water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a low simmer and cook, covered with lid ajar, for 1 hour. Remove shanks and reserve cooking liquid. Wipe out the pan. (You may cook the lamb shanks in advance, even a day ahead.)
• Set Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon garlic, bay leaf, saffron, tomato paste and paprika. Stir together and let sizzle for 1 minute, then add reserved lamb broth and bring to a boil. Add lamb shanks and apricots, cover with lid ajar and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender, nearly falling off the bone.
• Remove shanks and place on a cutting board to cool. Add parsnips to simmering broth, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Taste broth and adjust seasoning. If necessary, reduce over medium-high heat to concentrate cooking juices.
• When shanks are cool enough to handle, remove the bones (use your hands). Cut the meat into large chunks and return to the pot to warm through. Transfer meat and sauce to a serving platter.
• To finish, warm remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic and let sizzle without browning, about 30 seconds. Add chickpeas and warm them through, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt, and toss with the chopped cilantro. Spoon chickpeas over lamb and sauce.

CHICKPEA AND APRICOT MUFFINS

Steps:

• Place the apricots and apricot nectar in a small saucepan and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
• Place the apricot mixture and chickpeas in a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Stir the eggs, milk and melted butter into the chickpea mixture until all the ingredients are well combined.
• Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the coconut and brown sugar.
• Gradually stir the chickpea mixture into the flour and sugar mixture, and mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
• Spoon the muffin mixture into 12 greased 1/2 cup muffin pans and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 20-25 minutes.
• When cooked, remove the muffins from the oven and allow to stand in the pan for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool, dust with icing sugar and serve (optional).
• TIP: Use half wholemeal self-raising flour to white to increase the fibre content.
• NOTE: In step 6, the recipe specified 12 1/2 inch muffin cups but then said that the recipe made 15 muffins, so you may find that there is enough mixture for 15 not 12 muffins. I've specified 12 for the sake of consistency. Please clarify this point if you make and review this recipe before I make it. Once I know, I'll get the yield corrected if the mixture is indeed sufficient for 15 muffins.

APRICOT CHICK PEAS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add small amounts of water if necessary, about a tablespoon at a time to prevent sticking.
• Add remaining ingredients to saucepan. Mix well. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
• Serve over rice or couscous.