Red Kidney Bean Salad & Harissa Dressing

Try this attractive and simple bean salad if you want to make an easy 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 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