GARBANZO BEANS AND GREENS RECIPES

Steps:

• Pick over chickpeas, put them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
• Drain chickpeas (they should have swelled considerably) and put them in a soup pot. Cover with 6 cups water, add the onion stuck with clove, the carrot and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and let chickpeas simmer gently. Skim any foam that rises to the surface. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until chickpeas are tender. (If chickpeas seem to be drying out during cooking, add 1/2 cup water to keep them submerged in liquid.) Season generously with salt, and leave chickpeas to cool in the broth (cooking liquid). You should have about 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas. (They may be cooked a day in advance, if desired.)
• Put olive oil in a deep, wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chorizo and let it fry a bit, then turn heat to medium. Add the garlic, pimentón and 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin, and stir to coat. Add the cooked chickpeas and 1/2 cup broth. Bring to a simmer, add the greens and sprinkle with a little salt. Stir to allow the greens to wilt. Put on the lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until greens are completely cooked. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. To serve as a tapa or side dish, transfer to a cazuela or deep serving platter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin and the pine nuts, if using. Alternatively, to serve as soup, spoon the garbanzo-and-greens mixture into 4 deep soup bowls. Ladle 1 cup heated broth into each bowl, and sprinkle soup with the remaining cumin.

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir the onion in the hot oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bacon to the onions; continue cooking and stirring until the bacon fat begins to render, about 5 minutes more. Mix the garlic into the bacon and onion mixture, reduce heat to medium, and continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Stir the undrained navy beans into the mixture; bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low. Fold the spinach into the mixture until the leaves are evenly coated. Place a cover on the saucepan; simmer to allow the flavors to blend, about 1 hour. Squeeze the half lemon over the dish and stir to serve.