Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes, Olives, Basil, and Parsley

Directions

If you’re cooking your own chickpeas, soak chickpeas in cold water overnight or for at least 8 hours . Drain soaking water, then put beans into pan with fresh water and simmer until beans are tender. This can take from 45 minutes to several hours, depending on how fresh the beans are, so plan ahead. For canned beans, drain into colander and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears. Whether using freshly-cooked or canned beans, drain well, then place in large plastic bowl and toss with 1 T red wine vinegar and 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice. Chop tomatoes and drain in a colander while you chop the onions and slice olives, then add drained tomatoes, chopped onions, and sliced olives to the bowl with the marinating beans. Wash and dry basil and parsley, using salad spinner or washing in the sink and drying with paper towels. Finely chop herbs, then add to marinating salad ingredients and gently combine. Put 3 T red wine vinegar and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice in a small bowl or glass measuring cup, then whisk in olive oil until dressing is emulsified. Stir salt and pepper into dressing. Gently mix dressing into salad, then season to taste with additional salt and fresh ground black pepper. The salad can marinate at room temperature for an hour or two before serving. I did refrigerate leftovers with pretty good results, but it’s definitely best when freshly made and before being refrigerated.