When we get together with our friends, at least two things are guaranteed :: lots of laughs, and really good food! Recently, we were getting together for a birthday dinner and everyone was asked to bring something. My friend Mim brought this Stetson Chopped Salad – which had the wonderful side effect of producing cravings for it the next day. And apparently, it’s famous!
Cowboy Ciao is a restaurant in Scottsdale that I’ve not visited, nor heard of. {That’s probably because I can’t get enough of The Mission so I rarely stray from there. Seriously. I’ve had brunch, lunch AND dinner at that restaurant, all in the same trip.} But next time I’m in Arizona, I will definitely pay a visit to enjoy Cowboy Ciao’s original version.
I’d never had a salad quite like this. It has a wonderful combination of textures and flavors. And the dressing! It’s a buttermilk – pesto – mayo – lemon concoction that’s perfect for this dish. And the variations on the salad ingredients are endless.You can add smoked salmon {like the restaurant does} or shredded rotisserie chicken to make this a great entreé. I could see a winter version with spinach, red quinoa, roasted beets, pecans and bleu cheese… Or an Asian-inspired version with edamame, rice noodles, red and yellow peppers, carrots and peanuts… Or… you get the idea!
I’m sharing Mim’s version because I think it’s perfect – and I’ll be making it weekly for the foreseeable future!
I did, however, forget to chop my greens… go ahead and do that. it makes the dish even prettier – and easier to eat!
If you make a big batch of the couscous, you can make this again for lunch or dinner later in the week. I thought I was going crazy, searching for Israeli couscous at my favorite grocery store. It is not kept by the regular couscous – it’s with the Kosher foods. {Which I should have figured out, given its name…}And I found Melissa’s Roasted Sweet Corn where packaged shallots are kept – by the potatoes and onions. If you don’t see it ask – or order online.
The presentation makes it perfect to bring to your next gathering, or to toss at the table. If you want some other ideas for serving, just Google it!
Search Google images for “Stetson Chopped Salad” and you’ll get about 5,000 results!
- 1 c. cooked Israeli couscous*
- ½ c. chopped cherry tomatoes
- ½ c. dried sweet corn {such as Melissa's Roasted Sweet Corn}
- 1 c. chopped arugula {I included mixed greens}
- ½ c. Asiago cheese
- ¼ c. dried currants
- ¼ c. toasted pepitas {pumpkin seeds}
- ¼ c. basil pesto
- ½ c. mayo
- 1 shallot
- ½ c. buttermilk
- juice of one lemon
- salt & pepper to taste
- Arrange ingredients in separate rows on a large platter. Toss salad at the table, with the dressing.
- To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a blender and blend. Will keep in fridge for up to a week.
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