The combination of charred pears and harissa chickpeas is a fantastic way to use pears, which are a fruit that is ideal for charring.
Pears are the ideal fruit to char. They are healthy, but they burn easily, making this a simple way to increase the fibre in your diet. This dish is versatile in terms of the fruit you can use. Try it with fruits like plums, nectarines, peaches, apples, grapes, and grapes that haven't been pan-fried.
How to Cook Harissa Chickpeas with Charred Pears:
Believe me when I say that this recipe is simple! Just two ingredients, the pears and the onion, need to be prepared, and all you need is one skillet.
quartered and seeded four pears
1 tablespoon of cooking oil.
One yellow onion, peeled and sliced into half-moons. 1 tablespoon of plant-based butter.
One to two tablespoons of harissa paste or powder.
2 cups vegetable broth
Chickpeas in two 15-ounce cans, drained
baby spinach, 3 ounces of pepper and salt as desired. Optional flaky sea salt. Optional garnish: finely chopped parsley or any other herb of your choosing.
Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Pears should be added in batches, cut-side down, and cooked immobile for 2 to 5 minutes. You want a nice char, not a complete burning of the sugars. Turn the pear over and cook the other cut side for an additional 2 to 5 minutes, or until it chars.
Cooking the pear's skin side is not necessary. Pears that are very ripe don't require as much cooking time as pears that aren't as ripe will require a little more cooking time to allow them to soften. Salt the charred pears after moving them to a plate.
Season with salt and pepper and cook the onion in the skillet for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it starts to soften. Melt the onion in the vegan butter, if using. Add the harissa paste (or other ingredients) once it is frothy, and cook until fragrant, for 1 minute.
The vegetable stock should be added and brought to a boil. Place the chickpeas in. Turn down the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the onions are soft and the broth has slightly reduced. Add a little more stock or water, taste, and season with salt and pepper if the liquid reduces too much.
The spinach will wilt after 5 minutes of cooking if you stir it in. Cut the heat off.
Divide the chickpeas among bowls and top with the charred pear. Use fresh herbs as a garnish, such as parsley or cilantro. Enjoy more Tried and True Recipe!
