CARROT, COUS COUS AND CHICKPEA SALAD
This salad is all about textures, sweet strong spring flavours and a little creativity; it works beautifully!
Serves 4-6
11/2 cup cous cous
2 cups water or stock
400g carrots, peeled and cut into finger size sticks
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 lemons, zest and juice
5 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
Generous pinch of chilli powder or smoked paprika
Good handful of freshly parsley, coriander and fennel tips, roughly chopped
Method
Preheat oven 190C
To begin start by roasting the carrots by simply placing the carrots and garlic in a bowl with a little drizzle of oil, and the dried spices, season lightly with salt and pepper, toss to combine, pour out onto a suitable baking tray and roast for about 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas to the carrots and toss to combine with all the juices on the tray, cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until carrots are tender.
While the carrots are roasting, prepare the cous cous base. Put the cous cous into a fry pan without any oil and heat gently over a moderate heat so that the cous cous lightly toasts (this adds a nutty flavour). Once toasted add it to a large bowl, season with a little salt, lemon zest and juice from 1, add the water or stock it can be either hot or cold the main thing is that the cous cous has time to absorb the liquid which can take up to 30 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and set aside.
Check the carrots are tender and the chickpeas are crunchy remove from the oven, add the carrots and any juices into the cous cous, add the herbs, juice from 1 lemon and drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine and taste, adjust if necessary serve on its own or with fish, lamb or pork!
While the carrots are roasting, prepare the cous cous base. Put the cous cous into a fry pan without any oil and heat gently over a moderate heat so that the cous cous lightly toasts (this adds a nutty flavour). Once toasted add it to a large bowl, season with a little salt, lemon zest and juice from 1, add the water or stock it can be either hot or cold the main thing is that the cous cous has time to absorb the liquid which can take up to 30 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and set aside.
Check the carrots are tender and the chickpeas are crunchy remove from the oven, add the carrots and any juices into the cous cous, add the herbs, juice from 1 lemon and drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine and taste, adjust if necessary serve on its own or with fish, lamb or pork!
Alison Lambert
