Start with freshly washed and dried arugula, and add it to a large mixing bowl. Dress the arugula with salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Toss the salad together until all the arugula is coated in an even mixture of seasonings and dressings. You can quickly whisk together the olive oil and balsamic before dressing the salad to help emulsify them.
Step 2
Select artichoke hearts from a jar. Choosing artichokes that have been marinated in oils and spices will add more flavor to the salad. Simply use your fingers to pull apart the artichoke hearts into pieces and add the pieces to your mixing bowl. Set the mixing bowl aside for the final step.
Step 3
Chop the pecans into small pieces or halves, if necessary. Add the chopped pecans to a small pan over medium-low heat on the stove. Toast the pecans, gently tossing them about every 30 seconds or so. When you can smell a warm, toasty, nutty fragrance, pull the pecans off the stove. Cooking any further could result in burning the pecans. Add the toasted pecans to the salad and quickly toss all ingredients together one final time before serving.
Ingredients
Arugula – 1.5 oz
Salt – 0.13 teaspoon
Black pepper – 0.13 teaspoon
Extra virgin olive oil – 2 teaspoon
Balsamic vinegar – 0.5 teaspoon
Artichoke hearts or globe, canned in oil mixture – 1 oz