Rebekah Peppler's Chickpea Picnic Salad: A punchy recipe perfect for alfresco hangs and much more

Cracking open Le Sud, Rebekah Pepplers cookbook of recipes from Provence-Alpes-Cte dAzur, is a little like stepping onto the beaches of Southern France. You may not feel the sun on your skin, but a relaxed spirit absolutely comes through.

This (Chickpea) Picnic Salad is a great example of that: its breezy yet memorable. Using mostly pantry ingredients, its easy to make. Yet its punchy thanks to capers, olives and lemon.

You dont need to make the chickpeas from dried Peppler provides a recipe for dried, but you can use canned and you dont have to worry about not having all of the elements on hand either. No preserved lemons? Use lemon zest. And use any wine vinegar you have on hand, she told us. Honestly, this recipe is built for all kinds of swaps, she said.

Its a salad virtually made for summer with picnic built right into its name. Peppler encourages us to take it on the road just about anywhere our contribution would be appreciated (a hike! a park! a friends house!) or enjoy it at home as dinner, maybe alongside something grilled. Make it work for you and your plans, she said.

The (Chickpea) Picnic Salad

By Rebekah Peppler

The south of France is home to a great many prime picnic spots, but my favourites lie on the jagged shoreline running from the edge of Marseille to Cassis. Some of les Calanques craggy, narrow, picturesque coves framed by massive limestone cliffsare more accessible than others, but all are worth the commitment. Once you choose your spot, find people diving off rocks, sunning on the tiny beaches, swimming in the clear, salty Mediterranean. Everyone picnics in one way or another. My way is packing this chickpea salad tossed with a punchy caper-preserved lemon vinaigrette, a bag of chips, plenty of water, maybe a bottle of Citron Press or local ros. The salad travels well, just like you.

Ingredients

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, grated on a Microplane
• cup (60 ml) sherry or red wine vinegar
• cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• Hot sauce, if desired
• Fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey, preferably lavender
• cup (120 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• cup (30 g) salted capers, soaked, rinsed, and drained
• 2 tbsp finely chopped preserved (Meyer) lemons
• 8 oz (230 g) mixed green olives, such as Cerignola, Castelvetrano, and Picholine, pitted
• Two 15-oz (430 g) cans chickpeas, drained, or 1 cup (180 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, cooked, and drained (see Note)
• 8 to 10 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 small seedless cucumbers, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

In a large bowl, combine the shallots, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, and hot sauce (if using). Season lightly with salt and set aside for at least 15 minutes (and up to 1 hour).

Whisk in the mustard and honey. Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a steady stream until emulsified. Stir in the capers and preserved lemon, then add the olives, chickpeas, radishes, and cucumbers. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The salad will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

Note to make chickpeas:

In a large bowl, add about 1 cup (180 g)of dried chickpeas and enough water to cover the chickpeas by 3 inches (7.5 cm). Soak overnight at room temperature.

The next day, drain the chickpeas. Set a large pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is hot, halve a yellow onion crosswise and cook, cut sides down, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the drained chickpeas, one 3-inch (7.5 cm)Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, 1 bay leaf, and 6 to 8 parsley sprigs. Pour in enough fresh water to cover the beans by 2 inches (5 cm)and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with fine sea salt, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook, skimming any scum that rises to the top, until the chickpeas are tender but still hold their shape, anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let the chickpeas cool in their broth. Discard the Parmesan rind, onion, bay leaves, and parsley. You can store the chickpeas in their cooking liquid in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Makes about 3 cups (480 g)cooked and drained chickpeas. (Dont toss the bean cooking liquid when you drain the chickpeas its very good. Save it and use as a base for soup.)

Serves 6

Excerpted from Le Sud: Recipes from Provence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur by Rebekah Peppler, 2024. Published by Chronicle Books. Photographs Joanne Pai.