Vegetarian Chopped Antipasto Salad Recipe
Author: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 10 ounces of frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, quartered and patted dry
  • 1 Tablespoon unrefined, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
  • Half of a small red onion or 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 head romaine lettuce, sliced thinly, about 8 cups
  • 1 head radicchio or half of a small head of red cabbage, sliced thinly, about 4 cups
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
  • 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed
  • 4 ounce block of Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved with a vegetable peeler and crumbled or grated with a microplane (feel free to use less)
  • 5 pepperoncini, stems cut off and discarded, thinly sliced (about ¼ cup)
  • Dressing:
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar, preferably unpasteurized
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup unrefined, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. Place the artichoke pieces on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the tablespoon of oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges.
  2. Optional: in a small bowl, soak the onion slices in ice water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. This will cut the harsh flavor of the raw onion. If you don’t mind raw onion, don’t bother soaking.
  3. Place the lettuces in a large serving bowl. Add the roasted artichokes, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, cheese, pepperoncini, and onion.
  4. Prepare the dressing: in a medium bowl or in a screw-top jar, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
  5. Drizzle enough dressing on salad to lightly coat. Toss and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not for a minute think you need to follow this recipe exactly.  Just don't add so many extra ingredients that you don't have enough dressing.  Cannelini beans are a great sub for chickpeas, you can add sundried tomatoes in the winter instead of fresh, add chunks of fresh mozzarella or pieces of fontina or Havarti cheese instead of Parmesan.  The original recipe calls for provolone.  Radicchio looks so pretty, but arugula would taste great, too.
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/vegetarian-chopped-antipasto-salad-recipe/