Roasted Chickpea Salad with Za’atar

Amarante

Sat, Dec 10 2022, 9:48 pm

This was a substantial salad - great for a lunch of lightish dinner.

I cheated and used canned fried onions instead of frying the shallots but I am sure the fried shallots would be superb

Roasted Chickpea Salad with Za’atar

Excerpt From: Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 New Ways to Turn Salad into Dinner--and Make-Ahead Lunches, Too

Warmed beans and veg + fried alliums + herbs + citrus + sweetness

Serves 4 |

Eaten straight from the pan or over a bowl of something comforting (like polenta or savory oats), this salad makes a sunny meal in a season of browns and beiges, stews and meat. Za’atar, mint, lemon, raisins, and maple syrup make the flavors just as exciting as the color scheme, and the textures are surprising too: thinly sliced vegetables sautéed until they’re relaxed and chickpeas that are roasted at a low temperature so they crisp on the outside but stay soft when you bite in. For crunchy-all-the-way-through chickpeas, bake at a higher heat (425°F/220°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. This salad becomes more of a slaw if you leave the cabbage, fennel, and carrot raw. For a creamy variation, add dill and yogurt to the dressing.

1 (15-ounce/425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons za’atar
1 teaspoon Himalaya salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot thinly sliced
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
½ fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
¼ cup (5g) loosely packed fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250° F.

 In a bowl, mix chickpeas with 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, then add the salt, za’atar, black pepper, lemon juice, and zest. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside. 

Pour the canola oil into a deep-sided pan and heat it to 350° F. Fry the shallots until red and crunchy, then transfer them to a paper towel to drain.  

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add in the garlic, stir, then add the carrot, fennel, and red cabbage. Cook for 5 minutes.  

Remove pan from the heat and add the roasted chickpeas, mint, raisins, and maple syrup. Mix well.

Add feta cheese, if desired. Taste and add more vinegar, lemon, or salt if needed. Garnish with fried shallots.