Mediterranean-Style Chopped Salad with Oregano Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS:

(YIELDS ABOUT 3/4 CUP) FOR THE DRESSING:

1. Two to three garlic cloves
2. One-fourth cup red wine vinegar
3. 1 tablespoon of oregano, dry
4. One tsp of kosher salt
5. Half a teaspoon of mustard dijon
6. Freshly ground black pepper
7. Half a cup of virgin olive oil

For the salad (serves roughly seven cups):

1. Half a cup faro (pearled or semi-pearled works just as well; cooking times will vary)
2. One tsp kosher salt, plus extra if necessary
3. Two bell peppers, medium
4. Two large or four tiny celery stalks
5. one and a half medium English cucumbers
6. half a little red onion
7. Eight tiny pickled pepperoni
8. Six ounces of feta cheese around one and a half cups cut into 1/2-inch cubes
9. One (15-oz) can of chickpeas

TO SERVE:

1. One half head of iceberg lettuce
2. One head of radicchio

 GUIDELINES:

1. Create the salad dressing: Add two large or three little minced garlic cloves to a large bowl.
2. Whisk together 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
3. Gradually sprinkle in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil while whisking frequently, and whisk until emulsified. Transfer half of the mixture to a refrigerator-safe container that is sealed. Place the bowl containing the leftover vinaigrette aside.
4. Prepare the salad: After rinsing 1/2 cup of faro under cool running water, place it in a fine-mesh strainer and leave it to drain.
5. In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Add 1 tsp kosher salt and mix in the faro. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes for pearled farro and 25 to 30 minutes for semi-pearled farro, or until the faro is soft but still somewhat chewy in the centre. Once drained, put back into the pot to chill.
7. As you prepare the following ingredients, add them one by one to the bowl of vinaigrette: Chop and remove seeds from two bell peppers, roughly two cups in size. Dice roughly 1 cup of celery stalks, either 2 large or 4 tiny. Dice half of an English cucumber, or roughly one cup.
8. Cut half of a small red onion thinly into half-moons. Cut into 8 thin pepperoncinis, or roughly 1/4 cup. Cut 6 ounces of feta cheese into 1/2-inch cubes if necessary. Rinse and drain the chickpea can.
9. Toss the farro to mix it with the vinaigrette in the basin. If necessary, add more salt (probably approximately 1/2 teaspoon) after tasting. Lightly toss in any of the remaining vinaigrette if the salad seems dry at all. Place a cover on it and refrigerate.
10. Cut the core out of one half head of iceberg lettuce and thinly slice it (4 packed cups). One head of radicchio should be cored and thinly sliced (3 packed cups). Place both in a big, airtight container, mix well, and chill.
11. When ready to eat, combine the lettuce and chickpea mixtures in equal amounts (making a heaping cup of each). If desired, drizzle with the dressing that was set aside.

Storage: You may keep the dressing, greens, and chickpea combination separately in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Nutrition:

420 calories, fat

26.7 g (41.1%)
Saturated 35.0%; 7.0 g
35.0 g (11.7%) of carbs
8.5 g (33.9%) of fibre
8.3 g of sugars
Protein 25.5% (12.7%)
668.9 mg of sodium (27.9%)

Recipe Adapted From: Grace Elkus