Those who think the pulses season ends with the heat are mistaken. The spoon may be set aside, but not the habit of enjoying legumes. They are rich in fiber and minerals that support health. So how can one live happily without them? Here are three recipes that make eating legumes fun, fresh, and easy.
Chickpea ceviche with avocado, cherry tomatoes and cucumber
Ceviche can be crafted with non-animal ingredients as well. One example uses chickpeas borrowed from a legume cookbook, offering a bright, original way to enjoy them.
For the salad:
- 300 g dried chickpeas
- 1 liter of water
- 1 g bicarbonate
- 100 g assorted cherry tomatoes
- an avocado
- half a cucumber
For the tiger milk:
- 1 g chopped garlic
- 3 g fresh ginger
- 35 g celery
- 50 g onions
- 20 g coriander
- 3 g salt
- 10 ml lemon juice
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 0.5 g green pepper
- 15 ml olive oil
- Soak the chickpeas in water with baking soda for 12 hours.
- Drain well and rinse.
- Cook for 1 hour to 1.5 hours in boiling unsalted water, skim off foam, then cool.
- For leche de tigre, blend all ingredients and strain. Set aside.
- Quarter the avocado, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.
- Fold in the chickpeas and leche de tigre. Keep cold.
- Top with extra cherry tomatoes and a few sprouts for garnish.
Bean, avocado and vegetable salad
This salad, popular at Castizo restaurants in Madrid, takes beans beyond their familiar companions and dresses them up for a bright summer plate that stays balanced and tasty.
- 400 g canned white beans
- 30 g Kalamata olives (or any pitted black olive)
- 30 g red onion
- 80 g concas tomatoes
- half an avocado
- a green Lamuyo pepper
- Parsley
- One hard boiled egg white
- Drain the beans, saving the juice as a protective liquid.
- Rinse the beans well and set aside.
- Wash the vegetables and prep for the mix.
- Chop the olives, red onion, concasé tomato, avocado, and boiled egg into small cubes.
- Chop the parsley.
- For the dressing, whisk a splash of extra virgin olive oil with Jerez vinegar and the reserved bean juice until it thickens slightly.
- To serve, combine beans, olives, onion, pepper, and tomato. Add the vinaigrette and salt to taste. Fold in the avocado and egg, keeping them distinct to preserve the salad’s appearance.
Warm salad of snow peas and young leeks
Are warm salads suitable for summer? Heat does not always mean hot. This is a stellar recipe from Casa Felisa in Madrid. And yes, peas are legumes.
- 400 g snow peas
- 8 small leeks
- A bowl of roasted red pepper sauce
- 200 g mixed lettuce sprouts
- 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
- Four tablespoons Pedro Ximénez vinegar
- Salt
- Boil the peas and leeks in hot water, then shock in ice to lock in color.
- Grill or broil until tender, season with oil, salt, and vinegar.
- Plate, coat lettuce sprouts with oil and vinegar, and lay on top of the peas and leeks.
- Finish with pepper sauce.
Green bean Salpicon from Asturias IGP
Chef Francisco Ruiz leads the gastronomic restaurant at Tella and the La Palmera gastrobar in Luces, Asturias. This salad uses a legume common in the region but rarely featured this way.
- 400 g boiled verna beans
- 100 g carrots
- 100 g zucchini
- 100 g cucumber
- 100 g tomatoes
- 100 g eggplant
- 100 g shelled walnuts
- 100 g laminated almonds
- 100 g raisins
- Pedro Ximenez reduction
- balsamic vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- Micro mix
- bean sprouts
- Drain the verna from cooking water and reserve.
- Rinse the beans well and set aside.
- Wash the vegetables. Set aside.
- Cube the olives, onion, concasé tomato, avocado, and boiled egg.
- Chop the parsley.
- For dressing, mix a little extra virgin olive oil with Pedro Ximénez reduction and balsamic vinegar. Whisk until smooth and glossy.
- Combine beans, olives, onion, pepper, and tomato with the dressing. Fold in avocado and egg, being careful not to mash the pieces.
Indian salad with lentils, spinach and crispy chicken tandoori
Chef Javier Aparicio from Cachivache Taberna in Madrid presents a vibrant tasting journey in a single dish.
- 160 g boiled lentils
- 100 g julienned fresh spinach
- Salt
- 20 g chicken breast, sliced
- 5 g tandoori powder
- Fame
- Egg
- Panko
For the tandoori yogurt sauce:
- 200 ml strained yogurt
- Lemon juice
- 20 g tandoori powder
- 20 ml olive oil
- Salt
For the mango and curry sauce:
- 300 g mango
- 15 g curry powder
- Lemon juice
- 100 ml olive oil
- 10 g sriracha
- Chopped cilantro
- Mix the tandoori yogurt sauce and set aside.
- Prepare the mango curry sauce by combining all ingredients.
- In a bowl, combine spinach, lentils, and the mango curry sauce; adjust salt.
- Dip chicken pieces in flour, egg, and panko, then fry until crisp. Cut into cubes.
- To assemble, lay a circle of yogurt sauce on the base. Fill with the spinach-lentil mixture, place chicken around, and finish with a lemon slice.