Chickpea & Tomato Salad

This type of pickled salad keeps well refrigerated for a week. It’s not only popular in the summer months as a handy side dish or picnic entré, but works well as a side dish on Thanksgiving and Christmas and makes perfect potluck fair. For a picnic, this bean salad is ideal because it will keep perfectly in a cooler with other chilled items and can be eaten from a paper bowl or plastic container. Versatile yet highly nutritious, this is a salad you can take anywhere!

The pickling solution can be cooled and stored in a glass jar in the refrigerator to be used many times and will retain flavors from the cucumber, seasonings, and other delicious ingredients. Be sure to reheat the brine just to the boiling point before pouring it over your veggies.

1 can chick peas (19 fl oz OR 540 ml)

1 pint grape tomatoes (or diced)

1 cob corn, kernels removed

1 thinly sliced zucchini

1/3 thinly sliced cucumber

3 slices red onion, chopped

½ small green pepper, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tbls parsley flakes

3 jalapeño slices (optional)

Dressing

1 tbls soy sauce

1 tbls sesame oil

1 tsp Hungarian paprika

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt

3 drops chipotlé sauce

juice from a wedge of lime

Pickling Solution

1 cup pickling vinegar

1 tbls balsamic vinegar, optional

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 bay leaf

½ tsp salt

1 tsp fennel seed

½ tsp peppercorns

Heat brine on stove in medium saucepan until steaming. In a large heat-proof measuring cup, place sliced zucchini, cucumber, onion, and garlic. Slice corn kernels away from the cob and add to cup. Pour hot brine over and cover with a small plate. Allow to cool slowly.

In a medium lidded bowl, place chick peas, green pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper, parsley, paprika, chipotlé sauce, and optional jalapeños. Add pickled ingredients and seal with lid. Most of the pickling solution will remain behind and can be refrigerated for later use. Some solution will be transferred with the vegetables. Toss vigorously to distribute brine and dressing over all ingredients.

To serve, ladle salad into bowls and add tomatoes just before serving. Salad may be refrigerated and will keep well, but the tomatoes would lose flavor if chilled.

An excellent salad to serve with beer!