I’m on a roll with my restaurant inspired recipes lately… after replicating my favorite sandwich and focaccia from my favorite DERU market here in Seattle, I decided I should recreate their famous Farm Salad. It consists of fresh mixed greens, roasted carrots (or sometimes in the winter they replace the carrots with roasted butternut or delicata squash), crumbled feta, toasted pepitas, fresh chopped herbs like dill, parsley, and chives, and a lemony herb vinaigrette. I usually order it alongside my sandwich but when I have it on it’s own I add shredded roasted chicken to make it a meal. Around the holidays I’ve also seen them add pomegranate arils for a festive sweet crunch.

While you’re roasting the carrots you can whisk up the vinaigrette and prep the rest of the salad ingredients. Toss the warm carrots on top (or they can be served room temperature which is just as delicious), drizzle with dressing, toss and dig in. I promise this is a salad you’ll remember!

Farm Salad with Roasted Carrots, Feta, and Herb Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed leafy greens
toasted pumpkin seeds/pepitas (I used salted)
Valbreso feta cheese, crumbled (I highly recommend using this mild and creamy French feta as Greek feta is much stronger and will have a more dominant flavor)
rotisserie chicken (light and dark meat), shredded
fresh dill, chopped
fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
fresh chives, chopped
pomegranate seeds (optional)

Herb Vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice + pinch freshly grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. grated garlic
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro and/or fresh chives (I used both)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Place the sliced carrots on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the out carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until tender and browned.
2. To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice/juice, vinegar, honey, mustard, and fresh herbs in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. While whisking constantly, stream in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. To assemble the salad, place mixed greens in a serving bowl. Top with roasted carrots, pumpkin seeds, feta, and chicken. Garnish with a few fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds (if using). Drizzle with lemon herb vinaigrette (this recipe makes a lot of dressing so you’ll have some leftover), toss, and serve.

(Adapted from So Fresh N So Green)