Chickpeas and spinach; Middle Eastern white bean and fennel salad

These meat-free dishes can be served on their own or as accompaniments to grilled meat, chicken or fish.

Chickpeas with spinach. Picture: Guy Bailey

These meat-free dishes can be served on their own or as accompaniments to grilled meat, chicken or fish. Use large butter beans or chickpeas for the Middle Eastern salad, if you prefer – and remember to drain and rinse the beans and chickpeas well.

Chickpeas and spinach

2 x 400g cans chickpeas

500g spinach

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Crusty bread, to serve

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Trim the spinach and coarsely chop. Heat oil in a large frypan over moderate heat; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft (about 15 minutes). Add tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add spinach and chickpeas and cook, uncovered, until spinach has wilted (about 6-8 minutes). Add garlic and mint and season with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 6

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Middle Eastern white bean and fennel salad. Picture: Guy Bailey

Middle Eastern white bean and fennel salad

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon butter

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 x 400g cans white haricot or butter beans

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ teaspoon ground sumac

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Dressing

2 tablespoons tahini

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

½ clove garlic

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Heat oil in a frypan and cook fennel and onion over a low heat, stirring from time to time, until soft and caramelised. Season to taste. Remove pan from heat and stir in butter, lemon zest and juice. Set aside to cool. Drain and rinse the beans and place in a large bowl. Add fennel and onion, parsley and sumac. Combine and season to taste. To make dressing, put all ingredients and 3-4 tablespoons water in a screwtop jar and shake. Drizzle over salad. Serves 6

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