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Summer Chickpea Salad

(Serves 4) 

1 small red onion

1 fresh red chilli

6-8 ripe tomatoes

2 lemons

5 tbsp virgin olive oil

sea salt 

black pepper

410g tin of chickpeas, drained, or around 4 large handfuls of soaked and cooked chickpeas (about 150g, when dry)

handful of fresh mint, chopped

handful of fresh basil, finely ripped

200g vegetarian feta cheese

 

 

Method:

 

Slice red onion very finely followed by chilli (removing seeds). Roughly chop tomatoes, mixing them in with onion and chilli.

 

Place this mixture in a bowl and dress with the juice of one and a half lemons and the extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste.

 

Heat chickpeas in a pan, then add most of them (about 90%) to the bowl. Mash up remaining chickpeas and add these also. Leave the mixture to marinate for a little while.

 

4.  Just before serving, dress the salad with the fresh mint and basil. Season to taste. You may want to add the juice from your remaining lemon half at this point. Place on a nice serving dish and crumble the feta cheese over the top.

 

Both tinned or dried chick peas can be used successfully. This salad is a great one for making up as you go along; you can use different spices, vegetables (scallions etc) and sun-dried tomatoes for example.