Most of my blog readers are from the States or Southeast Asian countries, which is interesting that Taiwan, my own country didn't even make to the top list. I am guessing that because this is an English-based recipe blog, the majority of local Taiwanese still prefer to browse the web using Chinese. Southeast Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia are more accustomed to English, as opposed to Taiwan.
So it should be fair to say that a big portion of readers that came across my blog should feel the heat recently? The rising temperature seemed unstoppable and it might just get worse over the years. As for a recipe blog, the summer heat shouts out for something light, refreshing, and tangy. Perhaps this colorful salad will cool you down a bit, and if that happens, a little off the topic here, but maybe turn-off the ac for half the day? Or try to up the temperature setting couple degrees? It won't help as much to the overall global warming issue, but at least a friendly gesture that's not too hard nor too troublesome to contribute a bit effort. Every little action counts, I believe.
Colorful chickpea salad with white wine vinaigrette -
Ingredients (about 4 portions)?
- 1 can/400 grams total with 240 grams solids chickpeas
- 30 colorful cherry tomatoes
- 3 skinny cucumber
- 1 pack/75 grams smoked salmon
- 1 pack/285 grams total with 150 grams solids mini mozzarella balls
- 1 small bundle dill
- 1 palmful edible flower (optional)
White wine vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
How?
I've got some edible flowers this time, adding something blue to the salad for that extra visual effect.
Tear the smoked salmon into bite size pieces. Remove the cucumber ends then dice into cubes. Pick out the thin dill and give it a fine chop, we will need about 2 tablespoons of chopped dill for this recipe. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Drain the liquid for the mini cheese balls, also drain out the liquid for canned chickpeas. Arrange diced cucumber, halved tomatoes, chopped dill, and chickpeas in a big bowl.
Mix all the ingredients under the "white wine vinaigrette" section, stir or shake well. The white wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil ratio I've got here is 1:1, which will give you a pretty tangy result. You can tone down the acidity by starting off using 1:2 vinegar to olive oil ratio first, then gradually increase the amount of vinegar for a more sourish taste.
Once you've got the acidity that suits your preference, taste and see if the vinaigrette needs more salt. Adjust accordingly.
Pour the vinaigrette to the bowl with chickpeas, mix till blended.
Transfer vinaigrette-coated ingredients to serving plates. Arrange smoked salmon and mini mozzarella balls throughout. Lastly, garnish with some pretty edible flowers if using.
It's tangy yet refreshing, should be quite suitable under such scorching heat these days.
On a side note, I've got the urge of "doing something good" today. On top of the global warming talk in the beginning, here's one petition I came across while wondering off in-between writing up this recipe. It's about freeing an orca that has been kept in captivity for over forty years. Comparing that with us whining about being bored staying at home during the COVID-19 lockdown and you'll truly feel for the orca.
Take a look at the article below and judge for yourself. Perhaps sign the petition or spread the word if you feel the same way as I do. See the link below:
Free Lolita, the "Loneliest Orca in the World"
Other salad recipes:
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