Warm Winter Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 slices Bacon, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Red Onion, diced
- 1 cup Red Pepper, diced
- 1 cup Zucchini, diced
- 1 tbsp Jalapeño Pepper, seeded, very finely diced
- 1 cup Sweet Potato, diced, pre-cooked
- 1 cup Quinoa, precooked
- 1 cup Chickpeas, precooked
- ½ cup Chickpea Cooking Liquid or Chicken Stock
- 1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped
- 1 cup Diced Tomato
- 2 tbsp Sherry Vinegar
- ¼ cup Fresh Cilantro Sprigs
- To taste - Salt & Pepper
- 4 cups Baby Arugula
Method:
1. In a preheated sauté pan, add the olive oil, then the sliced bacon and sauté on medium until medium crispy. Then remove the bacon and reserve. Keep the bacon fat and olive oil mixture in the pan.
2. In the same sauté pan with the oil and bacon fat mixture, on medium to high heat, add the red onion, red pepper, zucchini and jalapeño pepper. Season with salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute.
3. Add rosemary, sweet potato and chick peas and cook for another minute.
4. Add the diced tomato, quinoa, bacon, chick pea liquid, sherry vinegar. Cook for another minute and check seasoning.
5. Serve on a bed of baby arugula and sprinkle cilantro sprigs on top.
NB: Can be served with sliced roasted pork tenderloin or chicken breast or could be served with sautéed shrimp or scallops.
