Chickpea, Shrimp, and Arugula Salad

The chickpea, shrimp, and arugula salad is a fresh and nutritious dish, perfect as an appetizer or as a single course for a light lunch. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist:

Ingredients

• 200 grams of already cooked chickpeas (you can use canned for convenience)
• 200 grams of cleaned shrimp
• 100 grams of arugula
• 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste (optional)
• 1 clove of garlic
• Chili pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. If you are using raw shrimp, start by boiling them in salted water for a few minutes until they turn pink and then let them cool. If you are using already cooked shrimp, you can go straight to the next step.
2. In a pan, heat a little oil with a whole clove of garlic (and chili pepper if you like a spicy touch) to flavor the oil. When the garlic turns golden, remove the pan from the heat, discard the garlic, and add the shrimp to sauté and season for about one minute. Then let them cool.
3. In the meantime, drain the chickpeas and rinse them under running water if you are using canned ones. Dry them with paper towels.
4. Wash the arugula and dry it well.
5. In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, arugula, and cooled shrimp.
6. Prepare an emulsion with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and the juice of the lemon. Shake well to blend the ingredients.
7. Dress the salad with the prepared emulsion and mix well to flavor all the ingredients.
8. Let the salad rest for about 10 minutes before serving to allow it to absorb the dressing.

Curiosity

This salad brings together the flavors of the sea with those of the land in a perfect union. Chickpeas are widely used in Mediterranean cuisine and are known not only for their taste but also for their nutritional properties, such as proteins and fibers. Arugula, with its slightly spicy taste, adds a touch of liveliness to the dish, while shrimp are an excellent source of lean protein.