Summer salads: Spinach, chickpea and toasted almonds recipe

Russell Goodwin, one of our chefs at the Field Kitchen, created this last summer. It's based on a traditional Spanish tapas dish. The flaked almonds add texture and it can be spiced up by adding fresh or dry chilli.

Serves 2

1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp soft brown sugar
600g spinach or chard, washed
150g cooked chickpeas
1 tbsp raisins, presoaked in hot water for 30 minutes
2 tbsp of flaked almonds, toasted
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Start by soaking the red onion in vinegar and sugar.
2. Cook the spinach in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain, refresh in cold water and squeeze out the excess water. Chop roughly and season.
3. Grind up half the chickpeas roughly in a food processor. Squeeze out excess water from the raisins.
4. In a bowl place the onion (with the sugar and vinegar), spinach, whole and ground chickpeas, almonds, raisins, and mix together.
5. Season well, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper and olive oil.