Black-eyed bean, red pepper and apple salad

SERVES 4

“The combination of black-eyed beans with apple and red pepper makes a lovely light and refreshing salad,” says Nuno Mendes. “Here I use dried beans for flavour, but you could use tinned beans if you prefer. It’s important to leave the salad to marinate for an hour before serving to allow the flavours to develop. I love to eat this with fish, but it works equally well as a light lunch by itself or with grilled piri piri chicken.” Start this recipe a day ahead to soak the beans.

180 gm dried black-eyed beans

Pinch of bicarbonate of soda

1 carrot, cut into chunks

1 celery stick, cut into chunks

1 shallot, halved

1 fresh bay leaf

SALAD

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 large red capsicum, seeded and finely diced

2 Granny Smith apples, finely diced

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp chardonnay vinegar or good white wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water with the bicarbonate of soda. The next day, put the drained beans in a saucepan with the carrot, celery, shallot and bay leaf. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender (45 minutes to 1 hour). Leave the beans to cool in the cooking liquid, seasoning them with sea salt flakes and white pepper while they cool.

2 For the salad, drain the beans and place in a large bowl. Mix in the shallot, capsicum and apple. Add the oil, vinegar and lemon juice, season with sea salt and white pepper and stir well. Leave to marinate at room temperature or in the fridge (Mendes recommends serving it chilled). Just before serving, stir in the parsley and taste for seasoning.