Red Kidney Bean Salad & Harissa Dressing

Try this attractive and simple bean salad if you want to make a simple and earthy but spicy dinner. The secret of the dressing is harissa, a staple chili and garlic condiment in Tunisia that I've posted a recipe for here. Black-eyed peas can be used just as easily here instead of kidney beans for a more buttery taste and a more variegated appearance.

The beans here can be cooked well ahead of time and refrigerated before putting together the salad, but they work very well in a warm salad too, letting them cool down just a little at room temperature right after cooking before adding the other ingredients.

Red kidney bean salad & harissa dressing

Salad:

1 1/2 cups dried red kidney beans
1 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into narrow strips
1/2 green bell pepper, as above

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons harissa
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Soak the beans overnight covered in water and with a little bit of yoghurt whey or lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover, simmering for 1 hour or until the beans are tender but still firm. (If you're using black-eyed peas, they should be cooked in 20 or 30 minutes.) Drain and set aside in a salad bowl to cool.

In another bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add the chopped onion and diced jalapeño pepper to the beans and pour the dressing over top. Mix well.

Serve warm or cold garnished with the strips of red and green bell pepper and with a salt mill on the table to grind over the servings. Serves 6.