RECIPE: Make Leon’s Full Service’s Warm Hominy and Feta Salad
Chickpea salads are a personal favorite and I’m loving the one at Leon’s Full Service. Who knew mixing it with hominy would make such a satisfying dish?
Paula Branam, Decatur
Jeff Sellers, executive chef for Leon’s Full Service in Decatur, created this recipe when it was time to make a change from the Warm Chickpea Salad that had been on the restaurant’s menu from day one.
This salad with its intriguing combination of flavors could serve as a side dish but would also make a vegetarian main dish since chickpeas are so high in protein. The bright herbal punch from the Tomatillo Chimichurri keeps diners coming back for one more bite.
Peppadew peppers are sometimes available in the pickle aisle at your local grocery store. Sellers says you can substitute small slices of orange bell pepper as shown in the photo.
Leon’s Full Service’s Warm Hominy and Feta Salad
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped peppadew peppers or orange bell pepper
- 1 cup Tomatillo Chimichurri (see recipe)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and spread hominy and chickpeas in an even layer. Let them sit until dry, about 1 hour, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add dried hominy and chickpeas and saute, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add peppadew peppers and cook 1 minute. Stir in Tomatillo Chimichurri and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat and season to taste. Stir in feta and cilantro and serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 417 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 8 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total sugars, 8 grams fiber, 30 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 8 milligrams cholesterol, 1,159 milligrams sodium.Note: For nutritional calculations, the salt included is defined as 1/16 teaspoon.
Tomatillo Chimichurri
Leftover chimichurri can be used to dress other grain salads, hot rice or roasted vegetables. At Leon’s Full Service, it’s often used to sauce tacos, or as a marinade for steak, pork, chicken or tofu.
The restaurant chars the tomatillos and jalapenos on their grill. Sellers adapted this recipe for home cooks to char the vegetables in the oven.
- 2 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
- 2 jalapenos
- 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, stems included, roughly chopped
- Juice and zest of 3 limes
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup pure olive oil
- 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Heat oven to 450 degrees.
- Arrange tomatillos and jalapenos on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until charred, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven. When cool enough to handle, remove stems from jalapenos and remove seeds, if desired.
- In the jar of a blender, combine charred tomatillos and jalapenos and process for 30 seconds. Add green onions, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, canola oil, olive oil, ginger, salt and oregano. Process until smooth. May be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored, covered, in the refrigerator until needed.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per tablespoon: 60 calories (percent of calories from fat, 94), trace protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace total sugars, trace fiber, 6 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 187 milligrams sodium.From the menu of . . . Leon’s Full Service, 131 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-687-0500, leonsfullservice.com.
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