BOOK OF THE MONTH
A salad to change with the seasons – but the croutons are a mainstay
Chickpeas, grilled broccoli and asparagus with popped chilli grapes and bagel croutons
SERVES 6 AS A STARTER. HANDS-ON TIME 1 HOUR, PLUS SOAKING AND COOLING
“Chickpeas are easy to cook from dried, but you’ll need to soak them overnight in water and baking soda first. If the luxury of time isn’t on your side, use the convenience of canned. I used broccoli and asparagus in this dish because that was what was in season when we photographed it, but you can use sweetcorn, pumpkin, carrots, aubergine or other vegetables instead. The bagel croutons add chewiness and crunch, so if you’re gluten intolerant use gluten-free bread rather than leaving the croutons out. The salad can be served as a first course, light lunch or as part of a meal.”
KNOW-HOW
Verjus (or verjuice) is a condiment made from the juice of unripe grapes, crab apples or other sour fruit. It’s been around since Ancient Rome, is used in Syrian and Iranian cooking, and is popular in the Antipodes. Find it in Waitrose, speciality shops or online at souschef.co.uk.
Adding bicarbonate of soda (which is alkaline) to the soaking water for dried beans helps to speed up the softening process and so decreases the cooking time. Be sure to rinse the beans before cooking to eliminate any soapy flavours from the bicarbonate of soda. If using canned chickpeas, start from step 2. The bagel croutons will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
PHOTOGRAPHS LISA LINDER
MAKE AHEAD
• 175g dried chickpeas, or 2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (see Know-how)
• 1 bay leaf (or a few fresh thyme, oregano or rosemary sprigs)
• 80g Greek yogurt
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 slightly stale bagels, sliced into 0.5cm thick pieces (or 3 bread slices, cut into squares; see recipe introduction)
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 200g mixed red and green grapes
• 1-2 medium-hot red chillies, finely chopped (with the seed