Chickpea Cakes with Chipotle Lime Cream

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS? Chickpeas were brought to Mexico by Arab immigrants, and they’re now a popular ingredient in soups and other dishes. To bring this versatile ingredient into the spotlight, we decided to create savory chickpea cakes that would be crisp on the outside and tender and flavorful on the inside. To give our cakes extra layers of flavor, we added some complementary ingredients to the chickpea base. We liked the sweetness provided by corn and decided to toast the kernels to deepen their flavor. Some garlic, ground coriander, and a combination of fresh cilantro and scallions helped further boost the flavor of the cakes. Sour cream provided welcome richness and a bit of tang. To bind the cakes together, we used panko bread crumbs and two eggs, which gave the mixture a malleable texture that was easy to form into cakes. Pan-frying for 3 to 5 minutes on both sides gave the cakes perfectly crisp, nicely browned exteriors with tender, creamy interiors. To take our chickpea cakes one step further, we created a cool, creamy sauce made with sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, and chipotle. Avoid overmixing the chickpea mixture or the cakes will have a mealy texture. Serve with a simple salad, slaw, or rice.

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• ½ teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 7 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
• 4 scallions, sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk ½ cup sour cream, chipotle, lime zest and juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl; cover and refrigerate until serving.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until kernels begin to brown and pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in coriander and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool slightly.
3. Pulse chickpeas in a food processor to coarse paste, about 12 pulses. Whisk eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil together in a medium bowl. Stir in panko, scallions, cilantro, remaining ½ cup sour cream, cooked corn, and processed chickpeas until combined. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions and lightly pack into 1-inch-thick patties.
4. Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully lay 3 patties in the skillet and cook until well browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
5. Transfer patties to a paper towel–lined plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 3 patties. Serve with chipotle-lime cream sauce.