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Recipe Detail Page
Capricciosa Spring Salad with Chickpeas and Pancetta
Spring 2008
This whimsical salad can be made with whatever is freshest, such as asparagus, peas, new carrots and crispy radishes. Creamy chickpeas and crispy pancetta bits provide lively contrasting texture. For a vegetarian version, skip the pancetta and generously garnish salad with toasted pecans or slivered almonds. A loaf of Italian bread and Taleggio (a luscious semi-soft Italian cheese that resembles Brie) complete the meal.
Serves 8 as a main course
Salad
¼ lb (125 g) thinly sliced pancetta
½ lb (250 g) thin asparagus or slender green beans
¼ lb (125 g) sugar snap peas
2 cups (500 mL) small broccoli or cauliflower florets
4 freshly pulled carrots with green tops
1 sweet red pepper
1 small bunch radishes
1 head Boston or butter lettuce
One 540 mL can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 oz (125 g) black olives, drained
Fresh Basil Vinaigrette
½ cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (25 mL) white wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ tsp (2 mL) salt¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp (1 mL) granulated sugar
½ cup (125 mL) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1. Coat a small frying pan with nonstick spray or lightly oil. Coarsely chop pancetta; add to frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes or until pancetta is browned and crisp. Drain on a paper towel; store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
2. Snap off bottoms of asparagus stalks; discard or freeze to make vegetable stock. Slice asparagus into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces. Remove tough strings from sugar-snap peas by pulling back stem along edges; discard strings. Cut pods on bias into 3 or 4 pieces.
3. Bring a large pasta pot half full of unsalted water to a boil. Add broccoli; cook 30 seconds. Add peas to broccoli; cook 30 seconds. Add asparagus to vegetables; cook 30 seconds. Immediately drain vegetables; refresh under cold running water until cool. Drain well; then place in a large mixing bowl.
4. Remove green tops and root tip from carrots; scrub lightly under cold running water―there is no need to peel. Cut carrots very sharply on the bias into thin oval slices. Seed and cut pepper into chunky 1-inch (2.5-cm) squares or triangles. Remove tops and root tip from radishes; discard. Slice radishes. Add all vegetable mixture. Using hands, toss until well mixed. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to a day.) Wash and separate lettuce into large leaves; roll in paper towels, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate.
5. Add drained chickpeas and olives to vegetables; gently toss to mix. In a blender, whirl oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and basil until puréed and well combined. Pour dressing over vegetable mixture; lightly toss. (Dressed vegetables keep well for up to a day.)
6. Line a shallow serving bowl or individual plates with lettuce. Pile salad onto greens; top with crispy pancetta. Serve right away.
Serves 8 as a main course
