.a chopped salad is raw veg cut so small that every forkful gets a little bit of everything, and the fine chop is honestly the whole recipe. this one is my clean-out-the-fridge lunch: carrots, celery, red bell peppers, scallions, persian cucumbers and whatever herbs are hanging on, dressed with lemon and a LOT of good olive oil, then piled high with jammy eggs and garlicky tahini. crunchy, juicy, creamy, bright. lunch is handled.

why this recipe works

I love to use up all the leftover veg in my fridge before it goes bad, and this salad is the perfect example of that. the slightly bendy carrots, the celery you bought for one recipe and forgot about, the half bunch of dill giving you sad eyes every time you open the door? this is their moment. (we all have that drawer. no judgment.)

everything gets finely chopped. not diced, not rough chopped, FINELY. when the pieces are tiny, the lemon and olive oil coat every single one, and you get carrot, cucumber, pepper and scallion in the same bite instead of chasing one giant chunk of celery around your plate.

the dressing is lemony, the juice brings the zing. then 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil turns the whole bowl glossy and juicy. is that a lot of oil? yes. is it the reason this salad tastes like a restaurant salad and not a sad desk salad? also yes. season it generously with kosher salt, raw veg can take it.

the ingredients that matter

the veg is flexible (that's kind of the point), but a few things are worth knowing. persian cucumbers stay crunchy and don't need seeding, so they hold up beautifully in a fine chop. red bell peppers bring sweetness and color. for the herbs, you want about 1/2 cup finely chopped: I'm using dill and cilantro, but parsley or mint are delish too, so use whatever you have on hand. and the garlicky tahini is a star condiment, so use a tahini paste that actually tastes good raw. 

how to make it, step by step

1. chop the veg. finely chop the carrots, celery, red bell peppers, scallions, persian cucumbers and herbs, and combine everything together. take your time here. the smaller and more even the pieces, the better every bite is going to be.

2. dress the salad. add the juice of one lemon,  and 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. season generously with kosher salt and toss until every little piece is coated and shiny. Not enough for you, I give you full permission to add even more oil. Been there done that 

3. get the water going. bring a pot of water to a boil and set up an ice bath right next to it, so it's ready the second your eggs are done.

4. cook the eggs. once the water is boiling, add the 8 eggs and set a timer for 7 to 8 minutes. don't wander off and start answering emails, this is the part where timing really matters.

5. ice the eggs. when the timer goes off, immediately move the eggs into the ice bath and let them sit for at least 5 minutes. this stops the cooking and makes the shells so much easier to peel.

6. peel. peel the eggs, and they're ready to go.

7. make the garlicky tahini. in a bowl, add 1 cup tahini paste, grate in the garlic and add the juice of one lemon. it might look thick and a little weird at this point. that's normal, keep going.

8. loosen it up. pour in ice water until the tahini is loose and the consistency you like. I go for about 1/2 cup. season well with kosher salt and taste.

9. pile it up. serve the dressed chopped salad with the jammy eggs and a big pour of garlicky tahini on top. and you are in heaven.

make ahead and storage

if you want to get ahead, chop the veg and keep it undressed, then add the lemon, oil and salt right before eating so everything stays crunchy. the garlicky tahini will thicken up as it sits in the fridge, so loosen it with a splash of ice water before serving. the jammy eggs are the perfect make ahead bite.

faq

how long do I boil eggs for jammy yolks?

7 to 8 minutes in already boiling water, then straight into an ice bath for at least 5 minutes. go closer to 7 if you like your yolk on the gooier side, closer to 8 if you want it a little more set. the ice bath isn't optional: it stops the yolk from cooking through and it makes peeling way less annoying..

my tahini is too thick (or too thin), what do I do?

too thick: add more ice water, a little at a time, until it loosens up. too thin: add a spoonful more tahini paste. there's no wrong consistency here, I like it pourable but still creamy, so it drapes over the salad and the eggs instead of disappearing into the bowl.

can I swap in different veg?

yes, please do, that's the whole spirit of this salad. the rule is just that everything gets finely chopped. if it's crunchy and sitting in your crisper drawer, it's invited. for the herbs, dill and cilantro called my name this time, but parsley and or mint work too.

more from my kitchen

if this is your kind of lunch, you'll also love my leftover rice salad with lemon, honey, and herbs.

okay, tell me: what's the saddest veg in your fridge right now, and did it make it into the bowl? drop it in the comments, I want to know!

xo,

e