Smokey Red Pepper & Chickpea Salad

Salad time! Another leftover ingredient-user from my cupboard, this one gobbled up my supply of chick peas and my frozen chorizo!! This is a very rich salad and easily served as a meal for my family. Alternatively it would make a delicious side in a spanish banquet.

Retro-Stylin' Tuna & Chickpea Bites

Okay so returning to my cupboard-emptying recipes finally! This one was a jackpot. I cleared my cupboard of 3 little cans of tuna and the remnants of a packet of dried chick peas. I was even going to chuck in a can of cannelini beans but the chickpeas swelled to be more than i expected so i didn't need anything else.

I think these bites would go really well inside of a wrap, in lieu of falafel.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, chopped roughly
  
• 2 large carrots, chopped roughly
  
• 1 large bunch coriander, chopped roughly
• 300gm canned tuna, drained
• 1 cup dried chickpeas, left to soak overnight. 
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 eggs
  
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• Yogurt and lemon wedges to serve with.

Method

Essentially; chuck all the ingredients in a food processor and blend blend blend!

For a more scientific approach, and to ensure even food processing, do the following:

Add garlic, onion, coriander, and carrots to processor first and blend until finely chopped.

Then add the chickpeas and tuna and do likewise.

Then add the flour, spices, seasonings and eggs and process one last time.

Scoop the mixture into large tablespoon sized balls and place on a lined baking tray.

Cooking in the oven at 180 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until golden and crunchy on the outside.

Enjoy with yoghurt and lemon.

Curried Carrot & Chickpea Soup

Today it's 36 degrees. What did i decide to cook last night (and therefore have for leftovers today)... soup! I love my soups, but in 36 degree heat, yeah coulda thought that one through a bit better.

Nonetheless this is a soup i whipped up from my head to get rid of the chickpeas in my cupboard. My aim over the next few weeks is to cook stuff that uses what's in my freezer/pantry and doesn't add anything to it.

The culprit: Chickpeas.

I originally used natural yoghurt in this recipe instead of the cream, but found that cream works better in this case. Coconut milk would probably work even better.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup thickened cream
• 500gm carrots
• 1 leek
• 1 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 heaped tablespoon curry powder
• 1 litre vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp Ghee (oil can be used instead; ghee is a clarified animal oil)
  
• Salt and pepper to season

Method

Thinly slice the carrots and leeks.

Heat large pot over low heat; add ghee.

Add the leeks and allow to sweat for 5-10 minutes.

Add the carrots and garlic and turn up the heat to medium. Saute for 5 minutes.

Add chickpeas and curry powder and saute for 2 minutes, stirring powder through the vegetables.

Add the stock, and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Transfer the soup to a blender in batched and puree finely.

Season to taste.

Just before serving, add the cream but be sure not to bring the soup to a boil (save a little bit for garnish)