Spring is the season of so many of our favorite produce finds.  As we mentioned in a previous blog, we are slightly addicted to our new favorite market, Guido’s in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  Not only are the staff extremely helpful, but so many of the items in the produce department have short blurbs suggesting cooking tips and informing the consumer of the history of the item on little cards hung above the bins so you can learn something as you shop.  I spent about a half hour reading these little treasures just the other night….which is where I became intrigued with these fresh spring chickpeas which were grown in Mexico.  They reminded me of mini edamame from the color to the fuzzy skin on the outside of their shell.  I grabbed a handful and popped them into my basket.

We decided to use our fresh green chickpeas for a sophisticated, yet easy, snack.

We began by heating our frying pan with a swig of olive oil- we tossed in the fresh chickpeas and seasoned them with kosher salt and chili flakes.  We tossed them in this pan for about 15 minutes until they became a bit charred and roasted.  I did read that you could also do this on a grill by placing the chickpeas in tinfoil.  The more charred they become, the greater the flavor.

The olive oil added a flavor of creaminess as we split them open with our teeth to reveal the succulent little green chickpea hiding inside.  The hint of chili and squeeze of lime added heat and freshness at the same time.  The shells are much tougher than edamame shells and take a bit of bite to open.  They are well worth it once you do!

We thought these were the perfect snack to serve before a Spanish or South American inspired meal.  We can’t wait to buy them again before they go out of season!