The Splendid Table's Supper Salad

Since everyone in our family likes salad, we eat it quite often, though not every night as I did when I was growing up! When I'm in a hurry, it's usually mixed greens or romaine hearts with one or two veggies and salad seasoning. I usually prefer a quick vinaigrette mixed up in the bowl, but all three boys like to *see* the dressing on top of their salads, so we alternate. I have about four other recipes I like to use when I have the time or need to take a salad somewhere. I'll be posting them all shortly; here's one we've been making a lot lately.

This salad comes from The Splendid Table's cookbook, How to Eat Supper. It's just the kind of cookbook I like, with lots of opinions and asides, as well as great food, gorgeously photographed. This recipe is a formula for an entree salad, but we adapt it to be a side salad. If I were making it for our family of four as a side, I would halve the ingredients.

Dressing-In-A-Bowl Supper Salad

1/2 medium red onion, thin sliced
3-4 T. red wine vinegar (or other vinegar you like)
salt and pepper
2 T. grainy mustard
1/2 cup canned chickpeas or black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups raw vegetables (cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, snow peas, corn, jicama) chopped
herbs (1 t. if dried; 1 T. or more if fresh - basil, thyme, cilantro, parsley are all good)
protein: I usually use about 1/2 cup feta cheese - if this salad is for dinner, 1-2 cups of cooked
chicken breast, shrimp, or steak would be good
12-16 oz. salad greens
4 -6 T. olive oil

1. In a large salad bowl, stir together the onion, 3 T. of the vinegar, some salt and pepper, and the mustard. Add the chickpeas, moistening them with the mixture. Let stand about 30 minutes.

2. When you are ready to serve, add the vegetables, herbs, protein, and salad greens along with 4 T. oil. Toss the salad together. Then taste, and adjust the seasoning as you like with more oil, vinegar, salt, and/or pepper.

Note: if you want a Mexican-inspired salad, choose black beans, seasoned chicken, and cilantro. Use your favorite Mexican cheese, whether that's a cheddar/jack blend or queso anejo.