Bell Pepper

Chopped Salad with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

May  4, 2014
5
1 Ratings
  • Makes 2 entree-sized salads
Author Notes

This is my attempt at recreating the phenomenal chopped salad from Chaya Brasserie in San Francisco. It's like a Nicoise salad on steroids, with smoked salmon and green beans and olives and bell pepper and goat cheese and hard-boiled egg, all piled on a bed of herbed greens. Chaya uses a fresh Meyer lemon vinaigrette, but since I usually have preserved lemons around, I decided to use those instead--they make a lovely, not-too-acidic dressing. —ieatthepeach

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 ounces haricots verts or green beans
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced preserved lemon
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 medium red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1/3 cup (a couple handfuls) pitted Kalamata, Nicoise, or other black olives
  • 2 ounces feta cheese or goat cheese, crumbled
  • 3 ounces smoked salmon, flaked into small pieces
  • 4 ounces mixed salad greens, washed and dried
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
  1. Place the eggs in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by about an inch. Cover the pan and bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the pan stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and immediately run them under cold water until they’re cool enough to handle. Peel and dice the eggs, and set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, then add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until the beans are cool enough to handle. Pat dry, and set aside.
  3. Whisk together the preserved lemon, vinegar, and black pepper in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside for a few minutes to let the flavors meld. (Use this time to prepare the other ingredients.)
  4. When ready to serve, whisk the olive oil into the vinegar mixture in a slow, steady stream, until the vinaigrette is thick and glossy. Toss together the salad greens, parsley, and dill, then divide between serving plates. Top each plate of greens with the beans, egg, bell pepper, olives, cheese, and smoked salmon. Drizzle over the vinaigrette, and serve immediately.

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