From Real Simple: Tapas Plate with Marinated Chickpeas

This dinner idea from Real Simple is the perfect combination of light, refreshing, and so easy. As we get into warmer days and want to spend less time cooking over an open flame or with a hot oven this Tapas plate allows us to pull a quick and healthy meal together on those busy weeknights and enjoy it with a nice glass of wine. Also E. loves dinners like this. As he says, they relax him. Maybe it’s knowing one isn’t stuffing themselves silly, maybe it takes us away to the Mediterranean, or maybe its the ease at which the meal comes together and is eaten. Either way, I have to agree.

Tapas Plate with Marinated Chickpeas

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons quality balsamic vinegar
• sea salt/pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound Manchego cheese, sliced
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced Serrano ham or prosciutto
• 1/2 cup mixed olives
• 1/2 small loaf country bread

Directions:

• In a bowl, combine all the ingredients from the chickpeas to the salt/pepper. Put in fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
• Serve with the cheese ham, olives, and bread.

I added a few touches here that weren’t in the original article. I decided to include the red pepper flakes and the balsamic vinegar to give an added kick. I think this gave a little extra heat, which E. and I always appreciate and the vinegar added another layer to the dish that I think brought out the flavors of all the other ingredients nicely. I also used bagel crisps instead of bread. I would have preferred the bread, but I knew I was likely to forget to buy bread the day of or before and I didn’t want to get it ahead of time at the grocery store and have it go bad. The crisps were a nice alternative, so that we didn’t have to worry about having stale bread!

Do you have a no-cook dish you love to make on warm weather weeknights?