I cooked up a pound of dried chickpeas over the weekend, and I’ve loved the freedom of being able to just toss a handful into almost everything we’ve been eating — or at least everything that could benefit from their savoriness.
They starred in Tuesday night’s dinner, mixed into a nubby bulgur salad with loads of sliced vegetables and just enough herbs to speckle it green. It was crunchy and lemony, and a perfect partner to the sardines we ate on the side, though the salad didn’t really need anything else.
This basic recipe will work just as well with canned chickpeas or any canned beans you have on the shelf.
To make enough for four, you’ll need about 2 cups of cooked chickpeas or beans, or one 15-ounce can, drained (which will yield 1¾ cups, but a quarter-cup more or less here doesn’t matter at all).
First, though, make the bulgur: If you have instant or fine bulgur, you don’t even have to cook it. Just add 1½ cups to a large, heatproof bowl, and pour in enough boiling water to cover the grains by 2 inches. Add a large pinch of salt, and let it all soak for 30 minutes or so, until tender. Drain, squeezing the warm grains while they’re in the strainer to get rid of as much excess water as possible.
If you have medium or coarse bulgur, add 1½ cups to 3 cups boiling water, along with a big pinch of salt, and simmer, partly covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the grains are soft and the water is absorbed. You could also use any other grain you like — farro, quinoa, brown rice.
Dump the grains into a salad bowl, add the chickpeas or beans, and dress it all with the juice of one lemon, several pinches of salt, a glug of olive oil and a pinch each of cumin and cayenne. Do this while the bulgur is still warm, tasting as you go.
Full disclosure: I also added the juice left on the cutting board after I sliced up a perfectly ripe nectarine for a snack. It was so good I couldn’t waste it, and it lent a mild sweetness. You definitely don’t need it, but a squeeze of orange juice or drizzle of balsamic vinegar would do just as well.
When the bulgur is cool and nicely seasoned, stir in a couple of sliced scallions (or a large shallot or about ¼ cup sliced onion) and a cup or so of minced herbs — any herbs are perfectly fine. I used dill, cilantro, parsley and mint, chopping up the tender stems, too, until everything was uniformly green.
Then, the vegetables. I used cucumber, radishes and cherry tomatoes, about 2 cups total. But carrots, celery, bell peppers, cabbage, lightly steamed asparagus or broccoli would also work. You just need something to add freshness and lighten up the starchiness of the grains and beans.
Here’s a trick: While the vegetables are still on the cutting board, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and some dried oregano if you like. Then, after a minute, drizzle them with more lemon juice before tossing into the bowl. This seasons them separately and thoroughly in the easiest way possible.
Give the salad another toss, and serve it immediately. I think leftovers will keep well in the fridge overnight — or such is my hope for lunch today.
This is part of a series in which Melissa Clark teaches you how to cook with pantry staples. See more.