Inspiration for this dish come from a fabulous book, "From Tapas to Meze" by Joanne Weir. It's unique flavour comes from the special spice mix that you use to pan fry the onions. Please see separate recipe for "Spice Mix".

Ingredients

• 1 cup chick peas
• 1 cup couscous
• 12 baby onions
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tsp Spice Mix ( see separate recipe)
• 1 tblsp paprika
• 4 tomatoes, blanched
• 12 spears asparagus , blanched
• 12 pitted prunes
• handful pistachio nuts
• 3 oranges

Dressing

• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup vinegar
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 bulb roasted garlic
• 2 tblsp liquid honey

Method

1. Place the chick peas in a large bowl with three times as much water and leave to soak over night. The next day drain away the water and place the chick peas in fresh water in a saucepan and simmer for 40 minutes or until tender. Drain well and chill under cold water.
2. Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over 1¼ cups boiling water and leave to stand until the couscous has absorbed all the water. About 5 minutes. Then fluff up with a fork. Toss the couscous and chick peas together.
3. Peel and quarter the onions. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot and then add the onions and brown quickly over a high heat. Just before the onions are cooked toss in the spice mix and paprika and cook the spices for a minute. Remove from the heat.
4. Peel and cut the tomatoes into quarters or sixths. Cut the asparagus in half. Grate the orange rind into a bowl and reserve for the vinaigrette. Cut the orange into segments.
5. Toss the chick peas, onions, tomatoes, asparagus, orange segments and pistachio nuts together with the dressing. Serve on a large platter.

Dressing

1. Shake all the ingredients including the orange rind together well. Season with salt and pepper if wished .

Cooks Tips

Roasted garlic is so much more subtle in flavour and is delicious in salads in summer. To roast a bulb , place it in a large piece or foil and drizzle over a little olive oil. Bring the edges up and secure together. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 1 hour or until the garlic is tender when a skewer is pushed through. Keep in an airtight non plastic container in the fridge.