We spent last weekend getting our little balcony summer ready.We’ve had many wonderfully long sun-filled days – the neighbourhood is awakened, with the beaches and parks are bustling with people. It feels decidedly like summer now.

Our local farmers’ market started last weekend; that to me is the sign of summer’s start; the vibrant and cheerful energy of the open market, fresh local produce – colourful and abundant, it all just feels very summer-ry.

I snagged the most beautiful bunch of radish not quite sure what to make with them, I brought them home, saw my copy of Jerusalem and I just knew… I went back out and got tomatoes, cilantro and parsley – I was going to make Ottolenghi’s spiced chickpea and fresh vegetable salad again.

This is one of the very first recipes I tried from the Jerusalem cookbook; it seemed so simple and unfussy.
I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderfully the flavours melded.

I love this salad because it’s refreshing and tasty and plays well with the warm aromatic spices in the chickpeas.
I also love how easy it is to put together and the fact that it uses simple and nourishing seasonal produce.

Colourful meals eaten on lovely sunny balconies will make for happier people…

I want to stretch out on my little patio with salads like this, enjoy the lovely views and perhaps fall in love with my quirky neighbourhood again

That’s my wish for this summer, and for unending bright days that make everything seem possible.

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Spiced Chickpeas and Fresh Vegetable Salad

From Jerusalem, recipe also appeared in The Guardian
INGREDIENTS

• 2 small cucumbers, diced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 bunch radishes, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (or champagne/rice/white wine or red wine vinegar)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon agave syrup (or maple syrup or honey)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 – 3 cups cooked chickpeas (about 2 15oz can chickpeas)
• 1 small shallot, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine cucumber, tomato, onion, radish and pepper in a large bowl
2. Add cilantro and parsley and mix
3. Pour half of the olive oil in a jar or sealable container; add lemon juice and zest, vinegar, garlic and agave syrup
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste
5. Pour dressing over the salad and toss lightly to coat, and set aside
6. Mix cardamom, all spice, cumin and a pinch of salt, and spread on a plate or tray
7. Toss chickpeas in the spice mix to coat and set aside
8. Heat remaining olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat
9. Fry shallots until almost tender, about 4 – 5 minutes
10. Add spiced chickpeas and fry for 3 – 4 minutes, shake pan gently to toss and cook chickpeas evenly
11. Serve chickpeas with salad
12. Enjoy!

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