Toasted Cumin Lablabi with Harissa Oil and Olive-Oil Tuna

Method

1. Rinse the chickpeas and soak them for 12 h in plenty of cold water with the bicarbonate of soda stirred in. The soda softens the skins so they cook up much creamier. Rinse them well two or three times before cooking so no soda taste remains.

   Add in this stepDried chickpeas 180 gBicarbonate of soda (baking soda) ½ tsp

2. Put the chickpeas, water, half the garlic (whole cloves, crushed), the bay leaves and the peeled onion piece in a 20 cm pot and bring to the boil on high heat. Skim the foam, lower to medium-low heat and simmer gently for 1 h, until the chickpeas are soft enough to crush with your tongue. Fish out and discard the onion and bay. These aromatics give a much deeper broth than plain water.

   Add in this stepWater 1.8 LGarlic cloves 2½Bay leaves 1Onion ½

   high heat→medium-low heat

3. Toast most of the cumin seeds in a small dry pan on medium heat for 1 min until fragrant, then grind them finely in a mortar with the salt and some of the garlic. Stir the paste into the pot, and crush a ladleful of chickpeas against the side of the pot to give the broth a little body. Simmer on medium-low heat for 10 min more and adjust the seasoning.

   Add in this stepWhole cumin seeds 1¼ tspCoarse sea salt 1 tspGarlic cloves 1¼

   medium heat→medium-low heat

4. Harissa oil: put half the olive oil and the remaining garlic, thinly sliced, in a small pan on low heat and warm slowly for 2 min, until the garlic is pale gold. Turn off the heat and stir in the harissa and the rest of the cumin seeds to make a red oil. Take the garlic off before it browns or it turns bitter.

   Add in this stepExtra-virgin olive oil 2½ tbspGarlic cloves 1¼Harissa 2 tspWhole cumin seeds ¼ tsp

   low heat

5. Tear the bread into 3 cm pieces and toss them in a 24 cm pan with some of the olive oil on medium heat for 5 min, turning, until crisp outside and still chewy inside. Croutons like these hold their texture even in the broth.

   Add in this stepDay-old baguette 100 gExtra-virgin olive oil 1½ tbsp

   medium heat

6. Bring water to the boil in a small 16 cm pot on high heat, lower in the cold eggs gently with a ladle and boil for exactly 6 min 30 sec, then plunge them into iced water. You'll get set whites and thick, jammy yolks. Peel once cool.

   Add in this stepEggs, straight from the fridge 2

   high heat

7. Put the croutons in bowls and ladle over the chickpeas and hot broth. Top with the halved eggs, chunks of tuna, capers and chopped parsley, swirl over the harissa oil, finish with a little of the remaining olive oil and add a lemon wedge.

   Add in this stepTuna in olive oil (jarred, in chunks) 100 gCapers 2 tspFlat-leaf parsley 6 gLemon (wedges) ½Extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp