Roasted Chickpea Salad

Couscous, let's be honest, is a lifesaver.  It's not really cooking, just boiling a bit of water.  I use wholewheat couscous now and I must admit it needs a bit of jazzing up.  That's where the chickpeas come in.  I roast them in Harissa Spice which gives them a lovely kick and add some sharp feta (I actually found some goats Gouda for this - which I had never heard of before but it was delicious).  If you can't find Harissa spice, mix together a small amount of cumin, sea salt and chili powder. Then just go chopping mad - cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers - all your favorite raw vegetables. Douse the whole affair in a tangy vinaigrette (I like balsamic vinegar with this as it really has some punch to it) and strew with handfuls of fresh herbs.  A final squeeze of a lemon (and plenty of zest of course) a sprinkle of sea salt and you're really for action.


Here's a what works for me;


1, 14 oz can of chickpeas
1 tablespoon of Harissa spice
1 cup of wholewheat couscous
6 oz of feta cheese (or goats Gouda if you can find it!)
1/2 English cucumber, seeded and chopped (skin left on)
1 small carton of cherry tomatoes, halved
A couple of large handful of fresh herbs (basil, mint and parsley are great with this)
1 red pepper, diced
1 zest and juice of a lemon
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper 

Heat the oven to 400F


Empty and rinse the can of chickpeas.  Pour them onto a baking sheet.  Sprinkle the Harissa spice over them roll them around in the spice.  

Bake them for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Cook the couscous according to the package instructions. 


Chop all the vegetables, herbs and cheese and place in a large bowl.


To make the vinaigrette whisk together the mustard, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, juice and zest of the lemon and the olive oil.


When the couscous is cooked, fluff it with a fork and add to the vegetables.  Toss to combine.  Before serving add another handful of finely chopped fresh herbs (it can't hurt), one more squeeze of lemon and a few grains of sea salt.