Smashed Chickpea Salad

Smashed Chickpea Salad

I love chickpeas, they are very filling and full of protein (9g/100g*) and dietary fiber (8g/100g*). Like lentils, chickpeas is easily flavored while cooking and by what ever you dress it with. 

I really like the tanginess and the specks of salty olives and chili peppers. Overall this chickpea salad is a simple, quick weekday side. I served it with beer can chicken, an all-time favorite in my house.

This recipe is adapted from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook.

Serves 3.

Ingredients:

• 450 g cooked, cooled chickpeas

• 100 g green olives, pitted and thinly sliced

• 3 small pickled chilies, sliced

• 1 handful Italian parsley, chopped

• ½ teaspoon freeze dried buckthorn

• 35 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:

Soak and cook the chickpeas according to instruction on the package, or like Chickpea and Carrot Salad a la Thomas Keller. If you are in a hurry use 2 cans of chickpeas, drain and rinse them. 

Mix all but the olive oil and smash the salad with a potato masher, until you have a coarse mixture, with chunky pieces. Dress the salad with the Olive oil, and season it with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Enjoy!

* In the boiled chickpeas.

Chickpea and Carrot Salad a la Thomas Keller

Chickpea and carrot salad a la Thomas Keller.

This is an easy salad, when you have soaked and cooked the chickpeas. When you make it from dried, in stead of canned, chickpeas you'll get the a better texture. But no matter what its a good and healthy salad.
 

Thomas Keller hit another home run with this one.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried chickpeas.

• salt

For boiling:

• 6 cups water (or enough to cover chickpeas with 2 inches)

• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned

• 1 bouquet garni

• 1/2 onion, peeled

• 1 small carrot, peeled

For the salad: 

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 garlic cloves, skin left on, smashed

• 2 thyme sprigs

• 1 cup finely julienned carrots

• freshly ground pepper

• 1 tablespoon chopped italian parsley

• 1,5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Direction: 

Soaking:  Soak the chickpeas in 3 cups of water for 12 hours

bouquet garni: leek outer leave thyme, italian parsley sprigs, bay leaves and peppercorns

Drain the chickpeas, put then in a large saucepan, and ad water, leek, bouquet garni, onion and carrot,  and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the chickpeas are tender.

Pour the chickpeas and their liquid into a large shallow container and let cool. Once they are cool, remove and discard the bouquet garni and vegetables and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. The chickpeas can be covered and refrigerated in their liquid for 2-3 days.

If you use caned chickpeas,C here where you start. 

When ready to assemble the salad, drain the chickpeas in a colander. 

Combine the olive oil, bay leaves, garlic, and thyme in a large skillet and heat over medium heat until the oil is hot. Add the julienned carrots and toss in the oil for about 1 minute to cook them slightly. Add the chickpeas and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the chickpeas for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a bowl let cool. 

The salad will keep in the refrigerator for a day. 

Just before serving, remove  bay leaves, garlic, and thyme and stir in parsley and lemon juice.

The Danish Version: 

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