Ingredients

1 large escarole head (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup dark raisins
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups drained Basic Chickpeas (recipe follows)
1/3 cup cooking liquid reserved

Discard any dry or tough outer leaves from the escarole. Trim and discard the core and any tough stems. Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water, changing the water several times until no sand appears in the bottom of the bowl. Tear the leaves into large pieces and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue cooking until the onions are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Do not let the onions burn; lower the heat if necessary.
Add the raisins and the escarole to the pan. Cook, turning the escarole occasionally, until the leaves are tender and the stem ends are just a little crunchy, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the chickpeas and cooking liquid. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have blended, about 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Basic Chickpeas

1 pound dried chickpeas (2 1/2 cups)
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 bay leaves
Salt

Directions

Pick through the chickpeas to remove any stones or shriveled

beans. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover by several inches. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Or bring the cleaned chickpeas and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes, turn off the heat, cover and set aside for 1 hour.

Drain the chickpeas and place them in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover by several inches. Add the garlic and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the chickpeas are still a little firm, tender but not falling apart, 35 to 60 minutes, depending on the freshness of the chickpeas and how long they were soaked.

Add salt to taste, turn off the heat and allow the chickpeas to cool in their cooking liquid. (The cooled chickpeas and cooking liquid may be poured into a large airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Or divide the cooled beans and cooking liquid among several smaller airtight containers and freeze for up to several months.)

Drain the chickpeas, discarding the garlic and bay leaves, and use in recipes or season as desired.