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Arugula Salad with Harissa Chickpeas & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Arugula Salad
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a bold arugula salad with fennel, celery, manchego cheese, olives, harissa-spiced chickpeas + pecans + golden raisins, and a sweet pomegranate vinaigrette 

servings: 4

Ingredients

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

  • ¼ cup pomegranate juice
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • ½ cup neutral-flavored oil
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds
  • kosher salt

Arugula Salad

  • olive oil
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can chickpeas, drained + rinsed + dried
  • 1 sprig rosemary 
  • 4 oz pecans
  • 4 oz golden raisins
  • 2 tsp ground harissa 
  • kosher salt
  • 4 oz baby arugula
  • 1 small fennel bulb, quartered + cored + shaved thin on a mandolin 
  • 2 stalks celery, peeled + sliced very thin 
  • 4 oz manchego cheese, crumbled
  • 4 oz castelvetrano olives, drained + halved 
  • garnish: fennel fronds + celery leaves

Instructions

Pomegranate Vinaigrette

  1. Combine the pomegranate juice, white wine vinegar, and honey in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. 
  2. Slowly drizzle in both oils until incorporated, whisking continuously. Season with salt to taste. 
  3. Stir in the pomegranate seeds. Set aside. 

Arugula Salad

  1. Heat a 12” skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add the dry chickpeas and rosemary sprig. Spread them into an even layer. Allow them to sizzle until golden and crisp, stirring often. 
  2. Once the chickpeas are crisp, stir in the pecans and golden raisins. Allow to cook another couple of minutes until the pecans are toasted and the raisins are plump. Stir in the ground harissa until incorporated. Turn off the heat and season the mixture with a good pinch of salt. 
  3. Add the arugula to a large mixing bowl, along with the shaved fennel, celery, manchego cheese, and olives. Drizzle in your desired amount of pomegranate vinaigrette, tossing well to coat all of the ingredients (save any extra vinaigrette for another use). Taste the salad and season with salt if needed. 
  4. Plate the salad with a very generous mound of the chickpea mixture over top. Garnish with fennel fronds and celery leaves.

Notes

For both the fennel and celery, you want them almost paper thin so that they don’t overwhelm the salad with too rough of a bite. That’s why I use the mandolin for the fennel. You could try using the mandolin for the celery as well, I just find it difficult to cut celery on the mandolin and prefer using a knife. Either way will work!

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