With an upcoming trip to Sydney, Australia, I am on a quest to clear my house of perishables once more. That seems to be a recurring theme here, isn’t it? I cannot emphasize enough the importance of having well-stocked essentials. Spices, grains, and condiments helped me transform a bunch of odds and ends into nourishing dinner.
Even without the motivation of being away from my kitchen, I like the idea of clearing the fridge on a regular basis. The practice encourages me to waste less food and ensuring my fridge is clean. It bothers me to even think about having rotting produce lurking in some dark corners of the fridge. If you need any more convincing, the fridge runs more efficiently too if cold air can circulate freely.
Enough with the preaching! What did I find in the fridge last night?
- a tub of chickpeas I cooked in the slow cooker
- a nub of feta cheese
- a bunch of parsley
- a bunch of cilantro
- a handful of chives
- half of a big red onion
- half a cup of beef broth
I had the makings of a bean salad except the proportions were all wonky. It was a lot of herbs for not so much chickpeas. My thoughts turned to tabouli with it’s generous use of parsley accented with tomatoes and bulgur. I reached for my trusty staples and came up with Lots Of Herbs Chickpea Couscous Salad. This is how it went down.
First, I diced the red onion and quickly pickled them with red wine vinegar and salt. The herbs were finely chopped and tossed with some minced preserved lemon peel. I filled a pot with beef broth and enough water to cook about a cup of Israeli couscous. While the couscous was cooking, I added ground cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, Aleppo pepper, and olive oil to the pickled onion to make a vinaigrette. The drained couscous was tossed with chickpeas, herbs, and vinaigrette before I adjusted the seasoning. Just before serving, I crumbled feta cheese all over the salad for an extra boost of flavour.
I saved the diluted beef broth to make French onion soup for one. I’m sure more odds and ends will end up in that bowl.
This type of cooking is not flashy but certainly very typical of how I normally eat. The ingredients I highlighted above are all useful to have at home. They reflect my love for vibrantly spiced salads. The salad holds well in the fridge. With a busy schedule of work and training, I certainly appreciate having ready-to-eat dinner the minute I return home.
