Santorini Chopped Salad with Pine Nut Gremolata
Janice, Charlotte, NC

This Greek-inspired chopped salad is nutritious, colorful and incredibly tasty - makes me want to run a marathon! Chopped salads are wonderful since every bite contains each flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 cup Président® Feta
• 3 Tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, as desired
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small shallot, peeled and quartered
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 large fresh lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 cup chopped peeled avocado
• 1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted chopped olives, either green or black
• 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 1/2 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine crumbled feta cheese with beans, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, bell pepper and avocado in a large mixing bowl, tossing gently to blend. In a blender, combine the lemon juice (reserve the zest for later use), honey and shallot; puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil gradually until emulsified; add salt and pepper to taste. Toss the dressing with the vegetable, blending well. Taste to see if additional salt and pepper is needed. Place salad in a serving dish. Combine reserved lemon zest with chopped parsley and pine nuts; sprinkle over the salad and serve. May be garnished with additional fresh lemon slices and parsley leaves, if desired. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.