21 May Harissa Roasted Chickpea & Tomato Salad

This recipe happened because I wanted an addition to a carby delicious new potato & grilled asparagus dish (recipe coming soon!) , that I was really wanting to make, but knew there really wasn’t much in the cupboard. 

Fortunately I always and I mean ALWAYS have tins of chickpeas in the house, there are a few ingredients that make me twitchy if I don’t have them in, and this is one of them. They’re so versatile, and a brilliantly easy protein addition to loads of dishes. 

And as I walked up the hill home from the tube I suddenly remembered I had made some harissa from my home-grown Locoto chillies, that was still sitting preserved under a layer of oil in the fridge. So a quick stop via the local mini supermarket to pick up some rocket and this was born. Sadly, our own salad leaves are suffering from a slug invasion… Nightmare! Replanting starts this Saturday, and we’ll be stepping up our slug prevention program.

This is a really easy dish to throw together simply half the tomatoes, toss them & the chickpeas in harissa, oil & lemon & bake in a moderate oven, whilst you get on with whatever else you’re making. 

And best of all? This salad, if you keep the Chickpeas/Tomato mix away from tender leaves, is even better the next day. Perfect for tossing together for a picnic, or taking to a BBQ.  

I can guarantee you that this little ad-hoc salad I made up on the spur of the moment, will be on high repeat for the whole summer.. and beyond. 

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Harissa Roasted Chickpea & Tomato Salad

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

 

Servings: 3

Author: Louise-Claire Cayzer

Ingredients

• 1 tin chickpeas
• 2 tsp harissa (or more if you are brave! Either use my recipe, or buy it in jars)
• Around 20 cherry tomatoes , halved.
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 Tbs lemon juice plus a bit extra to squeeze over later
• 5-6 sprig fresh thyme , or a tsp dried
• salt
• Rocket or other leaves such as watercress or baby spinach- approx a handful per person

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6/ 200C
2. Rinse the chickpeas
3. Chop the tomatoes in half
4. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice & harissa
5. Put everything except the rocket/salad leaves into an oven dish and swish around so it's all covered in the harissa oil dressing, making sure everything is in a single layer
6. Pop in the oven, turning at around 15 mins
7. Remove from the oven when the tomatoes are de-hydrated & the chickpeas have started to crisp but are still tender in the middle.
8. Leave to cool for 5-10 mins
9. Lay out a dish with the salad leaves & squeeze some lemon over.
10. Pop the chickpea & tomato mix over the top & serve.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If you're making this for a picnic/to take somewhere/to serve the next day, keep the chickpea & tomato mix separate from the leaves & mix together once you are about to eat.