Garbanzo Raisin Salad

My friend Robin gave me this recipe from the Real Simple magazine—she said that it has repeatedly been her potluck smash hit.  I made a couple of little changes, but not much.  Hearty yet lightly sweet-and-sour with a hint of cumin, this could do well in summer or winter.

All beans take a while to absorb the flavors of the marinade so it is a good one to prep ahead then add the greenery at the end.  If you’re starting with dry garbanzos, soak them overnight because they might still take 3 hours to cook.  Cooking times can vary greatly even for the same variety of bean depending how fresh they are or how long they have been stored, dehydrating and becoming rock hard.  Cooked beans freeze well so if you want quick-use beans cook a large pot then freeze in smaller quantities.

Last week I catered a week-long Willow Gathering of basket weavers from around the continent (and world) coming together to learn techniques of willow basketry.  One instructor was from Washington state and two were from Denmark so I made the coffee extra strong.

Here are some photos of Judy Zugish‘s work and of her class on hatmaking.  I’ll post photos from the Dane’s classes another time.

A wet towel keeps everything moist overnight.

Bark peeled from willow.

The awesome hat.

Interested??  This is the registration from this year’s Willow Gathering for contact information, and while you’re at it check out the Scotland Basket Tours.

And take this salad to your next potluck!

Garbanzo Raisin Salad

Cook Time:  3 hours for garbanzo beans, 5 minutes for the raisins

Prep Time: 15 minutes to prep, 30 minutes to marinate

Heat in a sauce pan:

2/3 cup Raisins

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar or Honey

When it begins to simmer, stir and remove from heat to cool. 

Mix in a large bowl:

3 cups Garbanzo Beans, cooked (or 2 x 15 oz. cans, drained)

the Raisin/Vinegar/Sugar mixture

4 Green Onions, chopped

1/2 cup Celery, diced

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Cumin, ground

approx. 1/2 teaspoon Salt (adjust as needed—canned beans will be different than freshly cooked beans)

Pepper to taste

Let rest 30 minutes to marinate, or up to a day. 

When ready to serve, mix in:

2/3 cup Cilantro (or Parsley), chopped

Eat as a bean salad or serve on a bed of:

Arugula

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The Four Skunks by Elisabeth Maurland.

And remember to check out the weekly quotes on the left side of the Home page or on the Quote page….new ones at the bottom.

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