This Portuguese salad recipe was given to me by my friends aunt while I was staying in the Algarve. It’s so typical of Portuguese cooking – simple, unfussy and yet wonderfully aromatic and packed full of flavour.
CHICKPEA AND ROASTED GARLIC SALAD
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
1 head of garlic
2 x 400 g cans chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 220C/Gas 7.
Peel off the papery skin from the garlic bulb but leave enough to keep the bulb intact. Slice ½ cm off the top of head.
Wrap in foil, place on a baking tray and roast for 30 to 40 minutes until the garlic is soft.
Remove from the oven, unwrap and leave for 10 minutes to cool.
Meanwhile, mix the chickpeas with basil and vinegar in a serving dish. Set aside.
When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze out each clove into bean mixture. Add the diced tomatoes and season with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir well to mix.
Serve at room temperature.
