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Romaine Hearts Salad

Dinner, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegetarian, Veggies

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Feta and Avocado

September 10, 2024

Crispy romaine hearts, crumbles of savory rich feta cheese, fresh herbs, and a tangy vinaigrette are the perfect combination of flavors and textures for a topnotch salad. Briny olives, hearty chickpeas and creamy avocado add tons of flavor and the croutons add a welcome toasty crunch to each bite.

I roasted the chickpeas this time but it is not at all necessary. Buy a can of good, firm chickpeas, rinse and drain and you’re set.

I had some yogurt flatbread in the freezer so I used them for the croutons. You can use any type of bread or even pita.

This is a stellar salad that will appeal to a wide range of palates.

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Feta and Avocado
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Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Feta and Avocado

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4-6

servings

Adapted from NYT Cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 cups small (1/2-inch) diced stale bread (I used yogurt flatbread but pita, buns, or any other type of bread will work)

  • 1 medium romaine heart, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

  • 1 medium Japanese cucumber (or 1/2 large English cucumber) halved lengthwise, seeded and diced

  • 1/2 cup pitted green olives, quartered or halved if using small olives

  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon drained capers, roughly chopped

  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon honey

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 firm-ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted and diced

  • 3/4 cup diced or crumbled feta cheese (Mt. Vikos Greek feta is superb)

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, mint, parsley or dill, plus more for serving

Directions

  • Heat a toaster oven or regular oven to 350 degrees. Place the diced bread on a sheet pan, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss, then bake for 10 minutes or until well toasted. Set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, place the romaine pieces in a large mixing bowl along with the chickpeas, cucumber, olives and scallions.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together 5 tablespoons olive oil with 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, capers, shallots, mustard, honey, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk well. Pour enough dressing over the salad to moisten and toss well. Add avocado, feta and herbs and toss gently, adding more dressing to taste. Top with croutons and a generous sprinkle of herbs and serve.
Dinner, Dressing, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Summertime Meal

Sesame Caesar Salad

May 31, 2024

Replacing mayonnaise with tahini in Andy Baraghani’s take on Caesar salad is pure genius. Once you taste the dressing you will always keep a jar of tahini on hand. It has a wide range of uses in many recipes which may surprise you: gochujang sesame noodles, tofu ramen with cucumbers, Glory Bowl salad, beef kofta with tahini sauce.

The other ingredient that makes this salad especially interesting and so refreshing is the Asian pear. With its crisp apple-like texture and mildly sweet flavor, the Asian pear adds a welcoming crunchy note to this salad. Like other pears, it will brown once sliced so it’s best to cut it just before serving.

This crunchy and savory salad pairs well with any type of sandwich, my favorite being salami and cheese.

Sesame Caesar Salad
Print

Sesame Caesar Salad

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4

servings

Recipe adapted from Andy Baraghani/Bon Appetit

Ingredients

  • 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely minced

  • 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

  • 1 lemon, halved

  • 3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil

  • 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 romaine hearts, trimmed, leaves separated or 4 heads Little Gem lettuce

  • 1 Asian pear, halved, cored, thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Directions

  • Place finely minced anchovies and grated garlic in a large bowl. Squeeze in juice from half of the lemon (about 2 tablespoons). Whisk in tahini, mustard, and 2 tablespoons water. Gradually whisk in oil until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in 3 tablespoons Parmesan; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add lettuce, tearing any large leaves to bowl with dressing, along with pear slices. Toss until leaves are coated.
  • Transfer salad to a low serving bowl and top with more Parmesan and sesame seeds. Finely grate zest of remaining lemon half over the salad.

Notes

  • To make this vegetarian, swap out the anchovies for 1 teaspoon of rinsed, drained, and finely chopped capers.
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