Italian Chopped Salad
My lunches generally are leftovers from dinner the night before. My kids both take a thermos to school with leftovers too, which is why I make enough food to serve the neighborhood when I cook. As the weather starts to get warmer and sunnier during the day, I like to prepare salads again for lunch or the occasional dinner. This recipe is satisfying without being too heavy. Consider it a suggestion for what to put in the salad. Add any leftover veggies you have or what’s in season. The chickpeas are an added step. Of course you can just add them to the salad right out of the can, but give this a try. The crispy chickpeas add such a great texture to the dish.
Tips:
When mincing the garlic, chop it as small as you can with a sharp knife, then add a pinch of kosher salt and use the blade of your knife to grind it into a paste. This way you won’t get a mouthful of garlic in a single bit.
The liquid in the can of chickpeas is called aquafaba and can be used to make a number of things. Don’t throw it away and Google something to do with it.
Have leftover bread? Tear it into bitesized chunks, toss in oil and either bake or saute until toasted. Season with salt and pepper and toss that in the salad too.
You may not use all the dressing, so save it in the refrigerator for another time.
ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD
Originally from Bon Appétit
Makes 4 servings
PREP 20 minutes
COOK 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1- 14.5-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed
2 small garlic cloves, divided
Kosher salt
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1½ tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Head of romaine lettuce, torn
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 head of radicchio, thinly sliced
2 endive, thinly sliced
2 oz. ricotta salada, crumbled
2 oz. Genoa salami, thinly sliced
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat butter and 2 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high until butter melts. Add chickpeas and 1 garlic clove; season with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until chickpeas are browned and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Try to not snack on them.
Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, honey, mustard, red pepper flakes, and remaining 5 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl to combine. Finely chop half of remaining garlic clove (discard the rest unless you really, really like garlic) and add to dressing; season with salt and black pepper.
Add romaine, radicchio, endive, and salami to dressing and toss to coat; season with salt. Add chickpeas, cheese, and tomatoes and toss again to combine.