Ingredients:
- 140g baby kale or chopped Romaine lettuce
- 200g Persian cucumbers, sliced into thick half-moons
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 40g red onion, paper-thinly sliced
- 425g canned chickpeas, drained and patted dry
- 100g Feta cheese, crumbled
- 60g Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 15g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 5g fresh mint leaves, torn
- 60ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30ml fresh lemon juice
- 5ml Dijon mustard
- 2g dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch cracked black pepper
Instructions:
- Emulsify the vinaigrette. In a small mason jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until the mixture is opaque and creamy. Note: Shaking creates a temporary emulsion that coats the vegetables evenly.
- Mellow the onions. Place the thinly sliced red onions in a small bowl and toss with one tablespoon of the prepared dressing. Let sit for 5 minutes until the onions soften and turn slightly translucent.
- Prep the dense base. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried chickpeas, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. Toss these denser ingredients with half of the remaining dressing until they look glossy and coated.
- Protect the greens. Layer the baby kale or Romaine lettuce directly on top of the dressed vegetable base. Note: This prevents the delicate leaves from sitting in the pool of acid too long.
- Add the accents. Top the greens with the crumbled feta cheese, halved Kalamata olives, parsley, mint, and the quick pickled red onions.
- Final toss. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and toss the entire salad immediately until every leaf is shimmering with dressing.
- Serve. Plate the salad immediately to enjoy the contrast between the cold vegetables and the zingy dressing.
- Seasoning check. Taste a leaf and a chickpea together; add an extra pinch of cracked black pepper if the flavors need a final pop.