This is a salad in a loose sense of the word. Rather it is the coming together of plenty of complementary elements.
SERVES 2
- 40g flaked almonds
- 1 tin chickpeas
- Light olive oil
- 800g carrots
- 1 lemon
- Half a red onion
- 15g mint
- 30g parsley
- 1 garlic clove
- 50g watercress
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 70ml Kefir
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper
- Preheat oven to 200C/gas 6. Spread the almonds out on one of the roasting tins. Toast them in the oven for 2-3 mins until lightly golden in colour. Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water. Tip them into the clean tea towel and pat them dry.
- Remove the almonds, throw them with a dash of oil and a pinch of salt. Keep them to one side. Place the chickpeas in the roasting tray with 2 tbsp of oil and season well with salt and pepper. Mix well and spread them out so they are one layer deep.
- Peel the carrots and cut into equal sized angled wedges, about 2cm by 5cm. Zest and juice the lemon.
- Pop the carrots into another baking tray. Add half of the lemon juice, 2 tbsp of water and enough oil to generously coat the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and tightly cover the tray with foil. Place the chickpeas on the top oven shelf and the carrots on the shelf below.
- Roast for 20 mins, giving the chickpeas a turn twice during cooking. Prepare the rest of the veg by peeling and very finely slicing half of the red onion. Wash the mint and parsley, shake them dry.
- Pick the leaves off both and finely chop them separately. Peel and finely chop or crush 1 garlic clove. Make the dressing by whisking the mustard and half the garlic with the kefir. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the mint.
- Remove the carrots and chickpeas from the oven. Remove the foil from the carrots. Mix in the honey and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until tender. Add the cumin, paprika and half the chopped parsley to the chickpeas. Mix well and leave to cool slightly.
- When the carrots are ready, give them a rough bash with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Do this in the roasting tray so they soak up the lemony oil.
- Mix the warm crushed carrots with the spiced chickpeas, red onion and watercress. Divide it equally between 2 plates. Spoon the dressing across the salad. Scatter over the almonds, remaining parsley and a little lemon zest.