You can’t beat a simple & flavorful chopped salad!

Hi Juicy Readers!

I feel like I dropped the ball a little on my summer salad posting. I had the best of intentions to make many and post them all, but sadly…time got away from me and we were busier than I thought we would be for most of the summer. I have been working on a recipe index for Juicy Bites and I hope to have it done soon.

Even though summer is winding down (my kids start school tomorrow!), we still have plenty of warm weather here in Southern California. We spent last evening (the last official stay-up-late night of summer for my boys) at the park with some good friends, good wine, and yummy food. I brought this chopped salad that I was inspired to make when I saw it in my new Food & Wine Best of the Best volume 15 cookbook. It is from Nancy Silverton and it is simple and delicious as a side salad or a main course with some crusty bread.

My version has romain hearts for crunch, radicchio for color and flavor, and some arugula for that peppery bite that I love. I added cucumber for extra crunch and some green olives because I love them!

I like the cucumber seeded for this salad. You simply cut it in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. That way you get more crunch and less of the watery part of the cucumber.

I love the flavor that radicchio brings to this salad.

I like to buy pitted olives from the olive bar at my market.

Good salami, sharp provolone, and garbanzo beans!

Chopped Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients:

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

1/2  red onion, peeled and sliced into fine rings

2  1/4 inch slices of aged provolone (have the deli slice it thick for you), diced into cubes

4 ounces of sliced salami salami, cut into 1/2 -inch ribbons

a dozen or so marinated green olives, quartered (or more if you love them like me!)

3/4 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

1 head romain lettuce, chopped

1 small head (or half it is large) radicchio, cored and cut in ribbons 1/4 – to 1/2 -inch wide

a couple of big handfuls of baby arugula, roughly chopped

Oregano Dressing (recipe follows)

Pepperoncini for garnish

Oregano Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 heaping teaspoon of dijon mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice, or juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup good red wine vinegar

1/2 cup of good extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing: 

Mix all of the ingredients except for the oil together. Let sit for a few minutes so the oregano can marinate and the salt can dissolve. Add the olive oil in a slow stream while whisking, or put in a mason jar and shake well to mix.

For the salad:

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to coat.

If you wish to have left-overs (we did!), just don’t dress it all, reserve some dressing, and refrigerate for up to one day. Makes a great left-over lunch!