
I'm back on dry land, hurrah! However I now go by the name 'captain' (or just cap'n to those who know me well) and I smoke a pipe. I've also been trying to grow a beard, but so far no luck.
With minimal cooking facilities on the boat (an oven that barely worked, and about six inches of worktop), we were forced to be a bit creative, or resort to cheese sandwiches three times a day for a week. As much as I love cheese, even that doesn't appeal to me. So instead, I made a chickpea sandwich filling. And I guess I'm now on a bit of a chickpea salad kick, because it's only taken me two days to make another version - this time a lemony walnut chickpea salad with goat's cheese, red onion and rocket (that's arugula to some of you, and 'that frilly green stuff' to others).

This salad / sandwich filling has a little bit of everything - sweetness, tanginess, crunchiness, pepperiness (are these even words?), and it all goes together perfectly. Just a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise holds it all together nicely, but if you're one of those (weird) mayonnaise haters, you could always experiment with using yoghurt or sour cream instead. I served mine stuffed inside a pitta bread, but you could have it plain or with salad leaves if you prefer. It'd pack up nicely into a lunch box too.

A quick question: does anyone here soak and cook their own chickpeas? It seems like an awful lot of hassle to me so I've only ever used tinned chickpeas, but I wonder if I should give the dried ones a go. Do they actually taste much different / better? I'm pretty sure I won't be able to convince myself to do it unless they're significantly better...
Anyway, enjoy the recipe!
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained (240g when drained)
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced (or ¼ larger red onion)
- 50g soft goat's cheese, crumbled
- 20g rocket (arugula), roughly chopped
- 50g walnuts, chopped
- 2tbsp mayonnaise (heaped)
- 2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well. Season to taste. Serve on bread, in a pitta pocket, or with salad.
Julie says
So tastey! That really hit the spot!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thanks Julie!
Elizabeth says
Love, love , love this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing! My husband really likes it, too. Last time I made it he ate nearly all of it--all I got was a large spoonful! Guess I'll need to double it next time!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Haha that's great to hear, thanks for your comment Elizabeth! :)
Patty Perez says
Amazing!! I'm devouring it as I type this. I added chopped tomato and salted the onions before adding them in so they wouldn't be so strong. This is so good.. thanks for sharing!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Patty, so glad you're enjoying it! :)
Maria says
I am now a HUGE FAN!! I love this quick and easy recipe! I did substitute Feta cheese for the goat cheese only because I already had the Feta in the fridge. I am hooked!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Maria! :) Feta sounds like a great substitution!
Christina says
Everything's better if it doesn't come from a can/tin. Try making your own, it's really easy and not a lot of bother or hassle at all. Soaking for about 18 hours is the only thing...you have to plan ahead. Here's how I cook beans/chickpeas: http://christinascucina.com/2013/10/simple-healthy-italian-bean-salad.html I hope you try it! CC
Nupur says
The recipe is awesome, and cleverly simple ! Another book mark for me.
Regarding your Question on anyone soaking and boiling chickpeas. I do that every time I am making some curry out of chickpeas. Coming from India, its kind of a habit and hence "no second thought" thing for me. But yes, if i have to whip up a quick hummus or may be Chickpea Pilaf sort of thing where i know I wont be using more than a cup of them, I simply use a can full.
And to answer your second bit- Yes, it does taste different. I feel the canned version is somewhat bland and less flavourful than the freshly boiled ones. But then, every one has different taste buds ! :)
Suzie k says
This the second recipe I've tried on your blog and was pleasantly surprised. It was a perfect filling for the pita....lots of protein and flavors...creamy with a nice crunch from the walnuts. Can't wait to make this again! Thank you!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks Suzie, I'm really pleased you're enjoying my recipes so far! :)
Betsy says
Thanks for the recipe! I am looking for some healthy recipes for my pregnancy :)
Just an FYI, I buy organic dried chickpeas and then use Alton Brown's slow cooker method
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/slow-cooker-chickpeas-recipe.html
Then I let them cool, then portion them into baggies (need a more eco-friendly method for this) and freeze them. I use them for everything!
Can't wait to head to Trader Joe's to get the ingredients for this!!
Jasmine says
Loveeeeeeeee this recipe! I toast my pita pocket....mouth watering! And I leave a little on side to eat on its own.