Achiote Seared Chickpeas with Goat Cheese

I first discovered this dish years ago while dining with a vegetarian friend at Lambert's. I thought it revolutionary; most of the chickpeas I'd eaten in the past had been in hummus form or as part of a side dish, but had never really been the star of the show. I loved the spiciness...the heartiness...the tang of the goat cheese...the mellowing note of the wilted spinach...fantastic. Now I order this every time I visit Lambert's (it's on their appetizer menu).

So when the recipe appeared in Texas Monthly, I eagerly bookmarked it for future reference.

A few weeks ago, we had a little progressive dinner with a few of our neighbors. The festivities were to begin at our house, and I was in charge of appetizers. It seemed a perfect opportunity to break this out.

And so I did. I made a double batch for ten people, and several people had seconds (and thirds) and there was still plenty left over for me to eat this for lunch several times. I served them up with some lovely mini-tortillas courtesy of the super friendly folks at Jack Allen's Kitchen (thanks, guys!).