Mom will simply love this healthy and delicious salad! To keep it vegetarian - but still get a nice meaty, smoky crunch - Fancy Girl Table uses King Oyster Mushrooms and Smoky Chickpea Croutons in lieu of real pancetta. This yummy salad is packed with flavor!
Arugula Salad with Mushroom "Pancetta" and Chickpea Croutons
Courtesy of Fancy Girl Table
Serves 4-6
For the Chickpea Croutons:
1 15-ounce can cooked chickpeas
1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
For the King Oyster Mushroom Pancetta:
4 ounces fresh king oyster mushrooms, sliced very thin
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
For the Salad:
6 ounces olive oil cured black olives, pitted
2 bunches arugula
A couple pinches of sea salt
Juice of 1 large lemon
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces shaved Grana Padano cheese
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the Chickpea Croutons:
Drain the chickpeas well. Place the chickpeas on double paper towels and with another paper towel blot them dry. Remove any loose skin that may have separated. When totally dry, and to a bowl and toss with the 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, onion powder, chili powder and smoked paprika.
Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven, stirring occasionally, until very crisp, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool.
Make the King Oyster Mushroom Pancetta:
Toss the thinly sliced mushrooms with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika. Bake in the oven on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Season with salt & pepper and let cool. Chop into small, bacon-bit size pieces.
Compose the salad:
In a large bowl, toss the arugula and black olives with the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with sea salt & pepper. Place on a platter or in a salad bowl and top with the chickpea croutons, mushroom pancetta and shaved Grana Padano.
