broccoli with chickpeas & tahini sauce

broccoli with chickpeas & tahini sauce
serves 2 – 3

This is broccoli at it’s best. Crunchy and fresh in some spots, caramelised and  complex  in others.  It seems like so  much  more  than,  well, just broccoli.
Tahini is a paste of ground sesame seeds and is available from most health food stores. Natural yoghurt and  lemon juice, without the water make a good substitute.
1 head broccoli, chopped into bite sized mini-trees
1 can chickpeas (14oz / 400g), drained
2 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Preheat a large frying pan on the hottest heat. Add 2 tablespoon olive oil to pan. When it starts to smoke add the broccoli and cover with a lid or an oven tray – it’s critical to seal it so the broccoli fries from the bottom but steams at the top.
After 2 minutes, remove the lid and stir. Return lid and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stir. Cover and cook for another minute.
Test a piece of broccoli – if it’s tender, remove from the heat. If not, cover and cook for another few minutes. Season.
Meanwhile, combine tahini and lemon juice with 2 tablespoons water and stir until you have a smooth sauce.
Serve broccoli and chickpeas with tahini sauce drizzled over the top.