It’s Grill Season

Grilled Caesar Salad with Aquafaba Dressing and Parmesan Chickpea “Croutons”

Photo by Lorelle Del Matto

I’d say chickpeas are having a moment, but anyone from Turkey, South Asia, the Middle East or Africa, where they’ve long been a staple food, would laugh (1). 

In “How Did Chickpea Flour, A Staple of Indian Cuisine, Become A Health Food Sensation? ”  (2 ) Priya Krishna explains how chickpea flour, a hot “new” ingredient for food manufacturers and home cooks in the western world, has been used for hundreds of years in hundreds of delicious ways by South Asians and others worldwide.

Chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) were one of the first crops people cultivated, about 11,000 years ago. It is believed they originated in ancient Egypt and around Turkey and Syria. where remnants of a wild variety of chickpeas was found. Today there are two main varieties of chickpeas and an array of colors, including a black chickpea grown in Italy (3,4).

A passion for chickpeas has endured. It started with hummus and now we’re munching on a variety of chickpea-based snack foods, pasta and even pizza dough (1,5). Chickpeas are a versatile, blank canvas for food manufacturers who keep tempting us with new products, from savory to sweet.

Food Business News called chickpeas “the prince among pulses,” and Whole Foods Market named them as a Top Trend for 2021 (5). Chickpeas meet our desire for tasty plant-forward eating, nutrition in the form of dietary fiber and protein, less gluten, and our passion for cuisines from places like India, the Fertile Crescent and beyond (1,5,6,7).  

Aquafaba, the liquid from canned, drained chickpeas, is another “it” food for those looking for a vegan, food-safe substitute for uncooked egg whites. Aquafaba’s proteins allow it to be whipped into a stable foam for creamy cocktails and plant-based meringues and souffles (8). 

Aquafaba, the liquid from canned, drained chickpeas, is another “it” food for those looking for a vegan, food-safe substitute for uncooked egg whites. Aquafaba’s proteins allow it to be whipped into a stable foam for creamy cocktails and plant-based meringues and souffles (8). 

To learn more about the health benefits of chickpeas and other legumes, read The Power of Pulses and learn about cooking them in Bean Cuisine. A ½-cup serving of cooked chickpeas has 135 calories, 7 grams protein and generous 6 grams dietary fiber. They are an excellent source of folate and a good source of iron, niacin and zinc (9).

One of my fave chickpea flour recipes is Italian Farinata – a gluten-free pizza-like appetizer many have enjoyed at my home.

It’s grilling season and while your grill is hot, give your romaine lettuce a little char for the ever-popular Caesar salad. Skip the bread and fire up your oven to make these Parmesan and lemon chickpea “croutons.” Instead of romaine, try radicchio or cabbage wedges. Skip the jarred Caesar dressing and make your own with aquafaba or pasteurized egg or egg whites ( for creamy emulsification), your favorite extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon.

Grilled Caesar Salad with Aquafaba Dressing and Parmesan Chickpea “Croutons”

To keep your romaine crispy, grill the remain hearts on the cut side only, just until charred. If you’re using radicchio or cabbage wedges, turn over to grill both sides.

Photo by Lorelle Del Matto

Serves 4

Parmesan-Lemon Chickpea “Croutons”:

1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas

1 clove garlic, smashed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Aquafaba Caesar Dressing:

1/3 cup aquafaba, liquid saved from drained chickpeas, or pasteurized egg or egg white

1-2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 anchovy

¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste

½ cup olive oil

Salad:

2 romaine hearts, 1 large head of radicchio or ½ cabbage

Olive oil

Grated Parmesan cheese

  1. For Chickpea Croutons: Drain chickpeas, saving 1/3 cup liquid (aquafaba) for Dressing if using. Rinse chickpeas and drain again. Spread chickpeas on baking sheet lined with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside 30 minutes to dry.
  2. Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
  3. Gently warm olive oil and smashed garlic in a saucepan on the stove (or in a glass measuring cup in a microwave oven) for a few seconds, just until fragrant. Set aside for a couple of minutes to cool. Turn into a bowl and discard garlic. Add chickpeas and toss to coat.
  4. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Spread chickpeas on sheet. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until chickpeas are crisp on the outside and begin to darken, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a plate. Stir in parmesan and lemon zest. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  5. For Dressing: In a blender container, combine aquafaba or pasteurized egg and garlic. Process until frothy, about 20 seconds.  Add lemon juice, mustard, anchovy, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Process until blended. With machine running on lowest setting, slowly pour ½ cup oil through feed tube (or lid held ajar). Adjust seasonings to your taste. Dressing can be made a day or two ahead; cover and chill.
  6. For Salad: Preheat a clean grill for direct grilling over medium- to medium-high heat. You can also use a stove-top grill pan.
  7. Halve romaine hearts, leaving core intact. Or cut radicchio or cabbage into 4 wedges. Place on a baking sheet. Brush cut sides lightly with olive oil.
  8. Grill romaine hearts, cut side down, until grill marks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the grill for crispier lettuce or, with tongs, flip over and grill for another minute or two. Remove to a serving platter or plate.
  9. To serve, Spoon dressing over romaine, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chickpea croutons.

References

ONE

America is finally embracing an ingredient that much of the world has relied on for millennia.  Amanda Mull. Theatlantic.com March 14, 2019.

TWO

How Did Chickpea Flour, A Staple of Indian Cuisine, Become A Health Food Sensation? Priya Krishna. May 12, 2019.

THREE

The Domestication History of Chickpeas. Who First Cultivated the Tasty Garbanzo Bean–and Can We Buy Them Dinner? K. Kris Hirst. May 30, 2019.Thoughtco.com

FOUR

Chickpea. Wikipedia.

FIVE

The chickpea – a prince among pulses. Jeff Gelski. December 16, 2020. Foodbusinessnews.net.

SIX

The Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Chickpeas and Hummus. Taylor C. Wallace,1,* Robert Murray,2 and Kathleen M. Zelman3  Nutrients. 2016 Dec; 8(12): 766.Nov 29, 2016.

SEVEN

8 Great Reasons to Include Chickpeas in Your Diet. Brianna Elliott, RD. May 7, 2018. Healthline.com 

EIGHT

The Science Behind Vegan Meringues. Working toward a more stable meringue made from the liquid in a can of chickpeas. Nik Sharma. Seriouseat.com. 

NINE

The Food Processor. ESHA Research.

© Lorelle Del Matto 2021

lorelle About lorelle

Crazy about cooking, eating and sharing good food – my work and leisure revolve around the kitchen. As a culinary dietitian my professional life encompasses nutrition counseling and education, recipe development, product development, food and nutrition writing, marketing communications, corporate test kitchen and consumer affairs management, food styling and work as a product spokesperson.

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