The Big Mediterranean Salad

I may not share salad recipes too often, but that doesn’t mean I don’t eat them behind the scenes. To be honest, there are probably two days out of the week that we have a big salad of some description, for dinner.

Something relatively light, but something that also has a bit of substance.

The idea for this salad came when we were sitting in a cafe with a few friends, sifting through a brunch menu that had three things I wanted to try.

I naturally went for the smoked brisket sandwich, but the southern fried chicken burger sounded pretty special, as well. As did the summer breakfast salad. From memory it had things like felafel, haloumi, avocado and poached egg – among other things. It gave me the idea to make a “loaded” Mediterranean salad that’s fitting for breakfast, bunch or any meal of the day, for that matter.

An abundance of greenery, colorful additions like pomegranate and meaty, hot smoked trout – and why not toss in some pan-seared haloumi and crunchy roasted chickpeas laced with smoked paprika?

I’ve gone with two dressings that work beautifully together. Chimichurri and a creamy emulsion of yoghurt and tahini. So good.

And what’s a salad without an oozing soft poached egg!

Now… who said salads were boring?

The Big Mediterranean Salad

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: John Bek
• Total Time: 75 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Diet: Pescatarian, Omnivore

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Description

Smoked trout, halloumi, and pomegranate shine in this vibrant salad. Topped with a poached egg and two delicious dressings.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 x 14 oz (400 g) tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
• 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• pinch of salt
• ½ cups (118 ml) firmly packed parsley leaves
• ¼ cups (59 ml) firmly packed mint leaves
• ¼ cups (59 ml) firmly packed coriander leaves
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 fl oz (60 ml) olive oil
• salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 lbs (400 g) kale leaves (hard stems removed)
• 8 oz (200 g) haloumi (sliced 6-7 mm thick)
• 6-8 oz (150-200 g) hot smoked trout (or salmon, flaked)
• 2 oz (50 g) snow pea sprouts
• 1 avocado (sliced)
• 1/3 cups (79 ml) mint leaves
• 4 soft poached (or soft boiled eggs)
• 1/3 cups (79 ml) pomegranate arils

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
2. Tumble the drained chickpeas onto a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
3. Toss the chickpeas in a small bowl with olive oil, paprika, and salt while hot.
4. Set aside to cool completely before using.
5. For the Chimichurri:
6. Finely chop the parsley, mint, and coriander.
7. Toss the chopped herbs in a mixing bowl with all other ingredients and stir well.
8. Cover and chill in the fridge.
9. For the Yoghurt-tahini dressing:
10. Whisk all ingredients together and set aside in the fridge.
11. For the Kale:
12. Bring a large pot of water (half filled) to a boil.
13. Immerse the kale in boiling water, immediately remove, and refresh in ice water.
14. Drain well, shaking out excess water, and set aside.
15. For the Haloumi:
16. Heat a non-stick pan over high heat.
17. Sear each slice of haloumi in the pan until golden on both sides. No oil needed.
18. For Assembly:
19. Arrange the kale in a bowl or on a platter.
20. Add the haloumi, trout, sprouts, avocado, and mint leaves.
21. Top with poached eggs, pomegranate arils, spiced chickpeas, chimichurri, and yoghurt-tahini dressing.
22. Stab the egg to release the yolk, mix, and enjoy.

Notes

• For a smoky flavor boost, use smoked paprika and hot-smoked trout.
• To make this salad ahead, prepare all components separately and assemble just before serving to prevent the kale from wilting.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of chili flakes in the chimichurri to your preferred level of spiciness.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Roasting
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 large bowl
• Calories: 600
• Sugar: 10
• Sodium: 400
• Fat: 35
• Saturated Fat: 10
• Unsaturated Fat: 20
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 50
• Fiber: 10
• Protein: 30
• Cholesterol: 200

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