Ginger Curried Chickpeas with Water Mint, Cucumber, Goats cheese, Bourbon and Rose Dressing

I created this salad several months ago but this image got lost in a catalogue of pictures I have. Not sure how this one slipped by as it's defiantly one of my favourite salad this year. Ridiculously healthy, wonderfully fragrant and all drizzled in a floral boozy dressing. 

I've also used water mint in this salad, a foraged item commonly found on edges of streams, damp meadows and ponds throughout England and can be used just like regular mint. This recipe should make around 4-6 portions depending on your portion sizes.

500g dried chickpeas
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
400g canned plum tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and roughly cubed
1 red pepper, roughly diced
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
2 sticks celery, roughly cubed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
300ml apple juice
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
50ml extra virgin olive oil
1 cucumber
200g goats cheese
100g bunched water mint
200ml bourbon
2 teaspoons rose water
Sea salt
70g baby spinach, washed

Method:
Soak chickpeas in a large pot of water for 8 hours or overnight. Once soaked, drain and rinse chickpeas under cold running water. Place chickpeas back in pot and fill with water, add the soda and place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Using a slotted spoon remove the foam that forms on the surface of water. Cook the chickpeas until tender and fluffy then drain and cool under cold running water.

In a small fry pan add the fennel seeds, coriander, cumin and mustard seed, place over a medium heat and gently toast the seeds until fragrant (make sure you don't burn them as this will taint the flavour of the chickpeas). Once gently toasted, place seeds in a mortar and pestle and ground into a powder.

Using a large high rimmed baking tray or casserole dish with lid, add the chickpeas, tomato, carrot, red pepper, onion, celery, garlic, ginger, apple juice, ground spice, olive oil and a tablespoon sea salt. Gently stir together, cover with a lid or foil and place in oven set at 180ºC for 1 hour. Halfway through cooking stir cover and place back in oven.

Once cooked, leave to stand for 20 minutes covered. In the meantime, slice cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds, cut cucumber in half again lengthways and roughly cube. To make the salad, I suggest you do individual portions, first lay down some spinach leaves followed by a couple large spoonfuls of chickpeas. Gently break up desired amount of goats cheese over salad, then tear water mint over salad. Lastly mix the burbon and rose water together and drizzle a couple of teaspoon of dressing over each salad. 

Roasted Chantenay Carrots with Red Pepper Sauce

Here's a very tasty and vibrant little side dish with plenty of bite. Bound to make history at a dinner table near you.

1kg washed chantenay carrots
50ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Red Pepper Sauce:
100g flaked almonds
450g canned roasted red peppers
2 plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 dried red chillies
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
100ml extra virgin olive oil

Method:
Place carrots on baking tray and drizzle oil on carrots then sprinkle salt over top, place in oven set at 190oC for 45 minutes. Half way through cooking stir carrots around the tray and place back in oven to finish roasting.
For the sauce place frying pan over a medium heat and add the almonds, toast almonds while stiring round the pan till golden brown. In a food processor add all the sauce ingredients and blend together for 2 minutes.
Once carrots are roasted serve with a side of red pepper sauce.