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Restaurants›Asaro Bakery and Cafe›Mediterranean Recipe

Mediterranean Recipe

Name: Asaro Bakery and Cafes MEDITERRANEAN Recipe
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 6 cups mixed salad greens (spring mix or romaine + baby lettuces); 2 cups ripe tomatoes, medium, seeded and chopped; 1 cup English cucumber, peeled if desired, seeded and diced; 0.5 cup red onion, small, finely diced; 6 pieces radishes, thinly sliced; 1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed; 0.5 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 1 cup labneh (strained yogurt) or thick Greek yogurt; 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil (for swirling over labneh); 0.5 tsp dried za'atar (optional) or sumac for sprinkle; 0.25 tsp sea salt; 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbs fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon); 1 tsp red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar; 1 tsp garlic, minced; 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard; 0.5 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional, to balance acidity); 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp lemon zest (optional); 1 tbs extra parsley leaves for finishing; 2 tbs toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional)

Inspired by Asaro Bakery and Cafe

Time25m

Serves4

Chopped tomato, cucumber, red onion, radish, chickpeas and parsley, drizzle of lemon olive oil dressing, topped with labane delights over a bed of mixed greens.

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Ingredients

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Salad Base

6 cups mixed salad greens (spring mix or romaine + baby lettuces)

2 cups ripe tomatoes, medium, seeded and chopped

1 cup English cucumber, peeled if desired, seeded and diced

1/2 cup red onion, small, finely diced

6 pieces radishes, thinly sliced

1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Labneh Topping

1 cup labneh (strained yogurt) or thick Greek yogurt

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil (for swirling over labneh)

1/2 tsp dried za'atar (optional) or sumac for sprinkle

1/4 tsp sea salt

Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing

3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbs fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 tsp red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 tsp Garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup (optional, to balance acidity)

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Garnish / Optional

1/2 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1 tbs extra parsley leaves for finishing

2 tbs toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts (optional)

Method

Prepare Vegetables & Chickpeas

Wash and dry the mixed greens thoroughly and transfer to a large shallow salad bowl or platter; keep chilled while you prepare the rest.

Core and seed the tomatoes (if very juicy) then chop into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl.

Seed (optional) and dice the cucumber into similar-size pieces as the tomatoes; add to the bowl with tomatoes.

Peel (if desired) and finely dice the red onion. If you want a milder onion flavor, place diced onion in a small bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, then drain well before adding to the salad bowl.

Thinly slice the radishes and add them to the mixing bowl with the other vegetables.

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas; pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, then add to the vegetable mixture.

Roughly chop the flat-leaf parsley (stems removed or finely chopped) and add to the vegetable-chickpea mixture.

Make Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing

Whisk dressing

In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp honey (if using), 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Whisk vigorously or shake in a lidded jar until emulsified.

Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, pepper, or lemon to your preference.

Assemble Salad

Pour the prepared vegetable, parsley and chickpea mixture into the bowl with the mixed greens. Toss gently to combine and distribute ingredients evenly.

Drizzle about two-thirds of the lemon-olive oil dressing over the salad and toss gently again to coat. Reserve the remainder of the dressing for guests to add more if desired.

Prepare & Top with Labneh

Spoon the labneh into a small bowl and stir briefly to make it smooth. If you prefer 'labane delights' (small quenelles or dollops), use two spoons to shape 6–8 small quenelles (about 2 tbs each) or simply spoon 6 dollops evenly atop the salad.

Place the labneh dollops on top of the tossed salad in an even pattern so each serving gets a portion.

Drizzle 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil over the labneh dollops and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp dried za'atar or a dusting of sumac for a bright, aromatic finish. Lightly sprinkle 1/4 tsp sea salt over the labneh if desired.

Finish & Serve

Garnish the salad with reserved parsley leaves, optional lemon zest and toasted pine nuts or walnuts if using.

Give the salad one gentle toss at the table if you prefer to distribute labneh as guests serve, or leave arranged so diners can scoop labneh with their portions. Serve immediately.