Lemony chickpea and root vegetable bake
I’ve made some version of this on repeat these last few weeks–at least 8 times.*
This is the most basic of templates and you can play and substitute depending on what you have on hand or what sounds delicious to you. Replace the fennel with rutabaga or turnips, sub garlic or onion for the green onions, or try za’atar instead of oregano.
You’ll end up with a hearty, yielding, herbaceous, lemony chickpea vegetable dish that you can eat with a spoon or smeared onto a crusty piece of toast.
This is the definition of straightforward, affordable plant power in your fridge to sustain you.
½ fennel bulb, sliced lengthwise about ¼-inch thick
6 ounces carrots (about 2 medium), cut into 2-inch spears
12 ounces small waxy potatoes, quartered or cut into ~½-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ bunch green onions, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup water
In a small roasting tray (mine is about 7x9 inches), combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover with a sheet tray and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Remove from the oven, add 3 more tablespoons of water and give the vegetables a gentle but thorough stir.
Bake for 10 more minutes uncovered.
To Finish
1 lemon
Parmigiano reggiano
¼ cup(ish) chopped parsley
Top with a squeeze of lemon, generous shaving of parm, and some chopped parsley if you have it.
Other delicious things I’ve been eating with this:
Goat cheese/any soft cheese on crusty toast
Fermented carrots and beets
Sesame seeds
Seeded crackers and fresh mozzarella
Grilled olives
*I often eat like this–narrowing in on a few ingredients or preparation and eating it over and over again until my body and palate tell me it’s time for the next thing. It’s how I naturally eat (I find my body loves that level of consistency at times), and also very helpful when developing and sharing recipes.
This repetition allows me to really understand–what is this dish? What am I going for? What can I play around with? What can I substitute? And what needs to be kept consistent.
