Chickpeas with Harissa, Basil (and Ham)

I bought Nigel Slater's The Kitchen Diaries when it first came out but somehow or the other, although I loved reading it, I've not been inspired to cook anything from it. Rather the same as with Apples for Jam! Then a few days ago my old friend Gravy over on n.com mentioned this recipe and how yummy it was and so I decided to pull the book out and take a look. It's very Mediterranean in style and brought to mind another chickpea recipe that I have been meaning to make, and will soon I hope, that I read about over on The Traveler's Lunchbox blog. However, as I have been wanting to overcome my blockage with Nigel's book, I decided to make this one first. As Nigel says he serves this as a side dish or a salad I have, therefore, labelled it as both here. Of course, if you omit the ham it's Vegetarian as well.

We have a glut of tomatoes as Mr. P is growing some this year. They are big and meaty, sun-ripened, and full of flavour. I think if you are going to make this, using good tomatoes is essential, although roasting even inferior ones does lift them to another level. The chickpeas can be cooked from scratch or tinned ones. I used pre-cooked from a jar, that's how you buy them here.

This is absolutely delicious and so easy to do. I made the full amount, even though I was thinking 800g of chickpeas sounds an awful lot. I didn't add the crisp slices of Jamón Serrano as I will be serving this later with some fish. I can imagine us picking at this at any time, it is very moreish and the harissa gives it a wonderful kick. Definitely something I'll be making again. Thanks, Gravy!



Chickpeas with Harissa, Basil (and Ham) - Serves 4

6 large tomatoes
1 medium-sized aubergine
120ml olive oil
50ml red wine vinegar
1 tspn cumin seeds
2 400g tins of chickpeas
12 large basil leaves
9 thin slices jamón serrano or prosciutto (optional)

for the dressing:
1 tspn harissa paste
60ml olive oil




Heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas mark 6.

Cut each tomato in half, remove the core, then cut each half into three pieces. Place the tomato wedges in a large roasting pan. Slice the aubergine in four lengthwise and then into short chunks. Add them to the roasting pan together with the oil, vinegar, cumin seeds and a generous grinding of black pepper and sea salt. Mix everything carefully to coat. Roast for about an hour until the aubergine is soft and golden brown, the tomatoes are caught slightly at the edges, and the whole lot is fragrant, sizzling and juicy.

Lift the tomatoes and aubergines from the pan with a draining spoon and place them in a mixing bowl. Leave any roasting juices behind in the pan. Mix the drained and rinsed chickpeas with the tomatoes and aubergines.

Make the dressing by stirring the harissa and olive oil into the roasting juices, then tip it in with the vegetables and toss well. Leave a film of dressing the the pan. Leave the basil leaves whole, even if they are very large, and fold them into the salad. They will wilt and soften in the slight heat from the vegetables.

If you wish to garnish the dish with ham as per Nigel's recipe ... set the roasting pan over a moderate heat, lay the slices of ham in the film of dressing and cook till they start to crisp slightly. A matter of a minute or so. Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Lift the ham out and lay the slices on top of the salad.