Garbanzo Bean Salad

(Adapted from Laurel’s Kitchen, 1986)

Here's a simple dinner salad that's ideal when it's too hot to cook. If there’s time, marinate the garbanzos in the dressing overnight so the spices will really strike through. Another benefit of this salad is that it can incorporate a number of those stray bits in your refrigerator: got half a tomato and one lone egg? Hard boil the egg and cut both into wedges to toss in the mix. Leftover green beans from the other night? Strew them around the edges. What else in your fridge would work? Olives? Fresh parsley? Some ham? Check it out!

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

pinch cayenne

1/4 teaspoon oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh, if you have it)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped chives or scallions

1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped

1 can (14.5 oz.) of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Odds and ends from the refrigerator


Process

In a glass or ceramic bowl., blend the salt, paprika, cayenne and oregano. Slowly add the vinegar and olive oil, then the garlic and chives. (If you are using oregano or some other fresh herbs, add them now.) Toss in the garbanzo beans and bell pepper and mix well.

To serve, line a wide salad bowl with dark leafy greens. Spoon the garbanzo beans in the center, then arrange whatever additions you choose in an artful manner. Try marinated mushrooms, pimento, thin slices of steamed yellow squash or zucchini. What about that leftover link of chorizo sausage? Or some baby carrots, cut into matchsticks?

Serve with a sourdough baguette for a “no oven” dinner. Have some watermelon slices sprinkled with chopped mint leaves for a cooling dessert


Theme and Variations

I’ve also marinated two cups of cooked lentils in the dressing overnight for a spicy start to a dinner salad. Kidney beans or some canelli beans would also work well.