Calf’s Foot with Chick Peas and Wheat
Hergma
For Moroccans, this is classic street breakfast fare, and huge enamelware dishes filled with this rich mixture of chick peas and calf’s foot are a common early-morning sight. Though I love calf’s foot I couldn’t find this dish appetizing on the streets. Luckily a friend agreed to make it for me, for lunch, and it was perfectly exquisite. You can replace the calf’s foot with sheep’s trotters, in which case allow at least one per person. Serves 4-6
ingredients
- 150 g/5 oz husked whole wheat grain
- 2 calf’s feet singed, thoroughly washed and cut across in half
- 250 g/9 oz dried chick peas soaked overnight with 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda added to the water
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon dried chilies crushed to a coarse powder, or to taste
- sea salt
- 2 tablespoons paprika
preparation
- If the wheat grain is not husked, soak it overnight in water.
- Put the cleaned pieces of calf’s foot in a large flameproof casserole or preserving pan and pour in 3 liters/5 ¼ pints water. Bring to boil over a medium high heat, then skim, cover and leave to boil for 45 minutes.
- Add the rinsed and drained chick peas and wheat, the oil, peeled garlic cloves, cumin and powder chilies. Boil, covered, for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the broth has reduced to an unctuous sauce.
- Add sea salt to taste. If the sauce is still runny, increase the heat to high and boil uncovered until reduced. Stir in the paprika. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then serve very hot with good bread and a selection of refreshing salads.
Add comment March 24th, 2007