Recipe: Lemon Caper Arugula Salad

This fresh, flavorful, and versatile salad is a beautiful dish to serve either as a salad course or as part of an entrée. It also serves as a lovely bed of greens for a baked salmon or chicken entrée. The vinaigrette is tangy, lemony, and briny, which pairs nicely with the peppery arugula, creamy Parmigiano Reggiano, and toasted pine nuts.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: n/a
Total time: 10 minutes
Serves: 8
Serving size: approximately ¾ cup

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice from 1 medium lemon (approximately 4 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons non-pareil capers
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

• 16 ounces baby arugula, washed
• ½ medium sweet (or Vidalia) onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (*see kitchen tip)
• ¼ cup shaved or shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Instructions

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the oil, lemon juice, capers, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined.

Place arugula and onion in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss well. Top with toasted pine nuts and shaved cheese. Serve.

MOBE kitchen tips:

• To save time and add convenience, purchase Parmigiano Reggiano cheese already shaved or shredded.
• *To toast pine nuts, heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and toast for 30-60 seconds, moving them with a wooden spoon constantly. Remove them from heat once they become lightly toasted. Do NOT leave them unattended: pine nuts burn very quickly.

Recipe notes:

• Toasted walnuts may be substituted for pine nuts.

Nutrition facts per serving

Calories: 130 / Total Fat: 12g (15% DV) / Saturated Fat: 2.5g (13% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: 5mg (2% DV) / Sodium: 300mg (13% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 5g (2% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 2g (7% DV) / Total Sugars: 3g / Added Sugar: 0g (0% DV) / Protein: 3g / Vitamin D: 0mcg (0% DV) / Calcium: 138mg (10% DV) / Iron: 1mg (6% DV) / Potassium: 33mg (0% DV)

Allergen statement: Contains milk and pine nuts (tree nuts).