Description
Ina Garten’s refreshing celery salad combines crisp vegetables with a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Light and elegant flavors showcase garden-fresh ingredients perfect for summer gatherings or casual meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup olive oil (240 ml)
- 2 ripe avocados, diced
- 15 oz (425 g) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 head romaine lettuce, finely sliced
- 1 bunch celery, cut into small dice
- 2 whole Persian cucumbers, cut into small dice
- ½ cup (60 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup fresh dill (adjust to taste if desired)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tbsps red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preparation: Meticulously chop celery, radishes, parsley, avocado, and scallions into uniform bite-sized pieces, creating a visually appealing and textually balanced salad base.
- Chickpea Preparation: Thoroughly drain and pat chickpeas dry, ensuring they remain crisp and will absorb dressing effectively without becoming soggy.
- Dressing Creation: Combine fresh dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil in a blender, processing until achieving a silky, seamless emulsion.
- Seasoning: Enhance the dressing with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, carefully adjusting to create a harmonious flavor profile that complements the vegetables.
- Cheese Integration: Delicately crumble feta cheese, dispersing it evenly throughout the vegetable mixture to ensure a consistent taste in every bite.
- Final Assembly: Gently drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad, carefully tossing to coat each ingredient thoroughly, ensuring every component is elegantly dressed and well-integrated.
- Serving: Present the salad immediately to preserve its vibrant colors, crisp textures, and fresh flavors, preventing avocado oxidation and maintaining peak gustatory appeal.
Notes
- Prep Precisely: Chop all vegetables uniformly to ensure consistent texture and professional-looking presentation.
- Chickpea Care: Thoroughly drain and pat dry chickpeas to prevent watery dressing and maintain salad’s crisp integrity.
- Zest Smartly: Use microplane grater to capture only bright yellow lemon zest, avoiding bitter white pith for clean, vibrant flavor.
- Dress and Serve Quickly: Toss salad immediately before serving to prevent avocado browning and maintain peak freshness and crispness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg