- 400g bunched carrots
- 1 pointed red pepper
- 400g tin of chickpeas
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 lemons
- A handful of flat leaf parsley
- 3½ tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Food processor (optional)
- Large frying pan
- 1.
Chop the green tops from the carrots. Give them a good rinse and set aside. Scrub the carrots clean. Place the carrots in a food processor. Blitz till they’re finely chopped and look like couscous. No food processor? Just coarsely grate the carrots. Tip the carrot couscous into a large bowl.
- 2.
Finely dice the pointed red pepper, discarding the seeds and white pith. Fold it through the carrots.
- 3.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set a frying pan over high heat. Add the chickpeas and ½ tbsp olive oil. Fry the chickpeas with a pinch of salt and pepper for 3-5 mins till golden and a little crisp. Add 2 tsp each smoked paprika and fennel seeds to the pan. Shake to mix, then tip into the carrots.
- 4.
Peel the garlic. Grab a large handful of the leafy carrot greens and set them on your chopping board with the garlic clove. Chop the greens and garlic as finely as you can. Pop them in a separate bowl. Finely grate in the zest of both lemons.
- 5.
Make a dressing with 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle it over the carrot couscous. Arrange the carrot couscous on serving plates.
- 6.
Place the frying pan back on the heat. Add the carrot top mixture. Fry for 30 secs, then add 1 tbsp olive oil. Fry for 2-3 mins till it goes a little crisp. Add a little more oil if needed. Scatter over the top of the salad and serve.
