Garbanzos, or chickpeas are a common staple in our cuisine. Island born Puerto Ricans and Nuyoricans alike love the suckers. It’s a popular dish served with rice. But we also do it in salads. Which is convenient for this time of year when the temps are way up there and so is the humidity. Full disclosure: I posted a Chick Pea Salad recipe back in a post of 09/04/15. It was a good enough dish, and it had a multitude of ingredients, such as the common herbs, salt, pepper etc., but also such ingredients as onion, parsley, tomatoes, hard boil eggs, scallions and black olive paste. It had a profusion of stuff.

The following recipe, Ensalada de Garbanzos, is a simpler version of chickpea salad. A minimum of ingredients, but the flavor profile is the same: delicious! No stovetop cooking required. A typical, easy summer salad you can whip up in no time. Perfect for these dog days. So, beat the heat with this one and enjoy.

ENSALADA DE GARBANZOS
(Chick-Pea Salad)

Ingredients:

2 (16-oz.) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (6½ oz.) can tuna fish packed in water, drained and flaked
1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup spinach, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon r5ed wine vinegar (if desired, can substitute balsamic vinegar)
¼ teaspoon oregano
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Combine chickpeas, tuna, onion, garlic, spinach and capers in a medium bowl.
  2.  Combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl or cruet and beat with a fork or mix in the cruet.
  3.  Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss slightly.
    Yield: 4-6 servings.