Chick Pea Salad Sandwich (or just Salad) with Chili Crisp

Chick Pea Salad Sandwich

When it's hot out, you barely want to eat, much less cook.  But hunger needs satisfaction and, while delicious any season, this recipe is made for the dog days of summer.  The recipe calls for roasted chick peas (if you don't want to turn on the oven, just use chick peas straight from the can), and toasted bread (untoasted is just fine), But really this recipe is a little chopping and mostly stirring.  Quick, easy, and shockingly delicious.  And a nice extra?  The lemon juice keeps the avocado from browning, so this keeps well in the fridge for a few days.  And, of course, it makes a great salad on its own!

My cousin and I spent a week tweaking recipes and making videos and taking photos to post and to add to the ClaireMade.com website.  We enjoyed tasting every single one, but this particular recipe made our eyes go really wide when we took our first bite and we both said, “WOW!!!”  Something about the creaminess of the avocado with the chick peas and the crunch of the fresh vegetables and the hot touch of the Chili Crisp . . . It’s in our repertoires to stay.  Perfect for picnics.

2 cans chick peas (both drained – one will be roasted for added crunch, the instructions are below)

1 medium red onion finely In adiced

8 ribs of celery diced

1 clove garlic grated (use a microplane if you have one, if not mince fine)

1 ripe avocado

3 tbs fresh lemon juice

2 tbs ClaireMade Chili Crisp

16 Romaine (or other type of lettuce) leaves

Spray oil (I use avocado oil)

Salt

Pepper

8 slices whole grain/country/sourdough bread

How to Cook

1. To roast chick peas:
   1. Pre-heat oven to convection 400 degrees
   2. Drain 1 can of chick peas
   3. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
   4. Spread drained chick peas on parchment-lined cookie sheet
   5. Spray chick peas lightly with oil
   6. Sprinkle with salt
   7. Bake for 20 minutes, turn off oven, leave chick peas in oven until ready to use
2. Drain 2^nd can of chick peas
3. In a large bowl, add 2^nd can of chick peas, red onion, celery, grated garlic and stir
4. Halve and pit avocado. Remove meat from shells and add to chick pea mixture.  Pour in lemon juice and stir to combine evenly distribute
5. Remove cooled roasted chick peas from oven and pour into mixture and stir
6. Add Chili Crisp and stir until well-distributed throughout mixture.
7. Toast bread
8. Put two lettuce leaves on four slices of toast, divide chick pea mixture into 4 and put 1 portion on each piece of bread with lettuce

Top with remaining pieces of toasted bread and enjoy