My Kind Of Salad

I like salads with some heft, some crunch and munch and bump, so when a shared Easter dinner of lamb sliders was proposed to celebrate Sarah and Mia's visit, I made a Greek-themed salad that supplied lots of flavors as well as some serious texture.

There's a lot of chopping in this recipe but it's worth the effort. I started with a recipe I read online and added a few things to supply the gutsy mouth feel that I really enjoy. I took this picture before adding the arugula and the dressing so it will look greener than this when finished. It will also taste better. Go on, munch away!

Easter Salad, inspired by Mediterranean Salad with Chickpeas and Arugula, Bon Appetit, '04

3 Tbs red wine vinegar (I used a combination of red wine vinegar and lemon juice)
2 Tbs chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 Tbs chopped fresh oregano
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed (not in the original recipe but lamb and garlic beg to be together)
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
8 oz fresh, small mozzarella balls
15 can chickpeas, drained
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 English cucumber, coarsely chopped (no need to peel this, it adds color and crunch)
4 cups arugula

Whisk the first seven ingredients together in a small bowl to blend. They will not be very whiskable, by the way, as there is so much stuff and relatively little vinegar. Slowly whisk in the oil. Set aside for an hour or so while you do the chopping, so it can meld.

Combine the rest of the ingredients, except the arugula, and toss with your hands to mix thoroughly. Add the arugula, drizzle the dressing all over the salad and toss one last time to coat.

The recipe says it serves four but, as a side dish, it would serve twice that number - it's substantial. The guests assured me it was even better the second day, when the ingredients had had a chance to get acquainted.