Warm Chickpea Salad

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 dried red pepper, deseeded and broken into pieces
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 pint organic cherry tomatoes, halved
4 cups basic chickpeas or 2 (14-ounce) cans organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup stock, water or chickpea broth
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
Juice of ½ a lemon (optional)
Sea salt, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil over a medium high heat in a sauté pan or large frying pan. Add the red pepper and the garlic. Cook until the garlic starts to turn golden, then add the shallots. Cook until the shallots have softened and started to take color, about 8 minutes. They should not be burned, just golden.
2. Add the cherry tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are soft, and have started to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add a little of the reserved chickpea stock as you cook to keep the pan moist.
3. Add the drained chickpeas, Parmesan cheese, and stock or broth. Mix well and cook until the sauce looks syrupy and the chickpeas are warmed through. Add the chopped herbs. Mix well cooking for another minute. Stir in lemon juice and season to taste. Serve warm.