Chickpea-Carrot Salad
This recipe is a tribute to the chickpea salad they sell at the prepared-foods counter at Zabar's market in New York City, which my wife, Beverly, and I have always enjoyed. The key to this recipe is letting the beans soak after they've cooked. Rather than seasoning the beans while they're cooking, which keeps them from softening, you season them after they've cooked and then give them time to absorb the salt and garlic. Ideally, this recipe should be made a day or so ahead of time to let the flavors develop even further. Alot of people use parsley as a "default herb" to garnish a dish without really thinking about whether another herb might work better. But the flavor of parsley here truly matters; it completes the balance of the salad.
One 1-pound bag dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water to cover
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 quarts vegetable stock or water
Salt
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups grated carrots (from 2 large or 4 medium carrots)
1 cup red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1. Drain the chickpeas and transfer them to a pot. Add the red pepper flakes and stock and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and let simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and let them rest, off the heat, for 20 minutes.
2. Drain the warm chickpeas (you should have 5 cups) and transfer them to a bowl. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil. Season with more salt, cover with plastic wrap, and chill.
3. When ready to serve, remove the chickpeas from the refrigerator and stir in the carrots, onion, parsley, and garlic. Let rest for 1 hour so the flavors have a chance to develop. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Cook's note: Chickpeas: As with all dried beans and legumes, it's a good idea to experiment with several brands and then stick to one that you trust.
Source Information From INSPIRED BY INGREDIENTS by Bill Telepan and Andrew Friedman. Copyright (C) 2004 by Bill Telepan. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.