My friends in Washington, D.C. tell me that the city is expecting 1-2 FEET(!) of snow this weekend, and that in preparation for the kind of winter hibernation experienced by Laura Ingalls Wilder on the prairie, residents made a mad dash to the grocery on the way home from work, leaving market shelves bare.
If you live in D.C. and couldn't make it to the store, or you live elsewhere and you just don't want to brave the crowds preparing for SuperBowl Sunday snacks, you may already have what you need at home to enjoy a delicious and satisfying meal. Here is one idea. I wish I could say that I thought of it myself, but I got it from Smitten Kitchen, who got it from somebody else. It's the type of dish that can be riffed easily. To make it a little more substantial, I recommend adding some chicken, tuna, pasta, or pita. It's great on its own, but would be nice inside some pita bread with leafy greens, and when you're finished with it, it can be pureed into a hummus of sorts to be served with chips or spread on top of a sandwich.
Here's a short clip (MFO's directorial debut) showing you how to make it. Maybe one day I'll figure out how to add audio, but this was a big accomplishment for a Saturday morning. Ingredients and proportions can be found below.
Grab two bowls. In the first, combine the following ingredients: two (2) roasted red bell peppers (in the spirit of panty rescue, mine came from a jar, but it's even better if you roast your own), cut into strips; two (2) 15 ounce cans of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed; a handful of chopped parsley*; a palm full of chopped mint; and a handful of capers, rinsed. In the second bowl, whisk two (2) tablespoons of lemon juice (roughly the juice of one lemon) or red wine vinegar; two (2) pinches of kosher salt; two (2) cloves of garlic, minced; and four (4) tablespoons of olive oil. Add bowl #2 to bowl #1, tossing to combine. Enjoy!
*A word of advice: when I first started cooking, I skipped herbs, especially parsley - because isn't that just a garnish? The thing is, herbs add a lot of flavor and a fresh taste to pantry items, so use them whenever possible!
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