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Chopped Salad with Feta, Lime and Mint




We started our Fourth of July weekend today with a barbecue after Lauren let us know she was off today and wanted to come over for a run at Alki beach which, to our delight, also means staying for dinner.  



I had bought these beef ribs at the store last week and I froze them in hopes that the weather would soon improve for a barbecue.  The weather hasn't really improved but we're barbecuing anyway.  It's known to be chilly around here on the Fourth and so it is again this year.  Bummer.  But tonight was still a great summer dinner.  Bruce cooked the ribs the same way he cooks his spare ribs and they turned out great. 


We all went down to Alki beach and Lauren and Bruce jogged about 4 miles, while I walked.  Then we came home to start our Fourth of July weekend with these perfectly cooked ribs.


Along with baked beans and corn-on-the-cob, I made this salad from Smitten Kitchen that everyone loved.  It's a nice crunchy salad perfect for summer.  We may not be having summer weather in Seattle yet, but we all feel like eating summer food and this salad is so fresh and summer-y.


I like this recipe because you can basically add to it any favorite vegetable you like.  Suggested vegetables include thinly sliced radishes, 1/2 pound lightly cooked, cooled green and yellow beans, or thinly sliced cucumbers.  I used fresh asparagus cut about 1-inch lengths combined with diced celery, and sliced radishes.  You can also use any other crunchy veggies and whatever you're craving such as peppers, carrots, lightly cooked corn cut off the cob, fennel or more.

To  bulk this up into a more rounded dish, you could add a cup or two of thinly sliced lettuce (which I did), 1-2 cups of cooked, cooled grains such as barley, quinoa, or farro or a cup or so of cooked black beans to add to the Southwestern vibe.

Serves 4 or 2 as more of a meal-size salad

3 cups chopped, crunchy vegetables - see above suggestions.
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese, queso fresco or ricotta salata
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup well-toasted sunflower seeds, salted or unsalted or pine nuts (which I used)

Dressing

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. course or Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 tsp. chile powder or 1/8 tsp. each your choice combination of chile powder, cumin, cayenne or sumac
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1-2 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

1.  Mix vegetables, cheese, scallions, sunflower seeds or pine nuts in a medium bowl.

2.   Whisk lime juice, olive oil, salt, spice and black pepper in a small dish and pour over vegetables, tossing to evenly coat.

Adjust with more salt or pepper as needed. Garnish with mint and crunch-crunch-crunch away!



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