Chickpea, Fennel and Orange Salad with Herbs

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and finely sliced
• 3 oranges
• 1 small red onion, very finely sliced
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Small handful mint, roughly chopped
• Small handful dill, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the fennel and oranges

Trim the fennel, removing any tired outer layers, then slice it as finely as you can. Peel 2 of the oranges with a knife, removing all the pith, then cut them into neat segments.

2. Make the dressing

Juice the remaining orange into a small bowl. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, a good pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper, then whisk until combined.

3. Build the salad

In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, sliced fennel, orange segments and red onion. Add most of the parsley, mint and dill, keeping a little back for finishing.

4. Dress everything properly

Pour over the dressing and toss well so everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust with a little more salt or pepper if needed.

5. Finish and serve

Transfer to a serving dish and scatter over the remaining herbs. Serve straight away, or leave it for 10–15 minutes so the flavours can settle together a little.

A couple of helpful notes

- If the red onion is particularly sharp, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad.
- For a little extra texture, add a handful of toasted almonds or hazelnuts just before serving.
- This works very well as a light lunch, but is equally good alongside grilled vegetables or warm bread.