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

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: North African Published on August 23, 2007 Simple, robust and nourishing salad of earthy red kidney beans and sweet fresh peppers tossed with a zesty harissa dressing Print this recipe Salad: 1 1/2 cups dried red kidney beans or black-eyed peas (4 1/2 cups cooked or 3 14 oz cans) 1 red onion, chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into narrow strips 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into narrow strips Dressing: 1/3 cup olive oil juice of 1 lemon 1 1/2 teaspoons harissa (recipe below) 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried parsley Instructions: Rinse the beans or black-eyed peas and soak for 8 hours or overnight covered in several inches of water with a little bit of yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender but still firm, about 1 hour for red kidney beans and 20 to 30 minutes for black-eyed peas. Drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl to cool. In another bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add the chopped onion and diced jalapeño to the beans and pour the dressing over top. Mix well. Serve at room temperature 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. Makes 6 dinner servings or 10 to 12 side servings

Homemade Harissa

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: North African First published on May 19, 2007 Plenty of dried hot chili peppers, garlic and roasted cumin seeds give this traditional Tunisian condiment a characteristic burst of fire that works wonderfully for couscous, flatbreads, vegetables, soups, stews and salad dressings Print this recipe Ingredients: 24 dried whole red chilies 2 tablespoons coriander seeds 4 teaspoons cumin seeds 6 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon sea salt 6 - 8 tablespoons olive oil Instructions: Place the chilis in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for half an hour until softened. Meanwhile, heat the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan over medium heat for five minutes or until they become aromatic. Grind to a powder with a mortar and pestle or with a coffee or spice grinder. Drain the chilies when they are soft, and place in a small blender or food processor with the coriander and cumin powder, garlic and salt. Blend together while trickling in the olive oil until the sauce has a thick salsa-like consistency. Store in a jar with a tight-fitting lid with olive oil poured over the top for up to 4 months. Makes about 1 cup