Radicchio Salad with Green Olives, Chickpeas, and Parmesan

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 large or 2 small heads radicchio
• 1 16-ounce can green olives, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
• 1 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions

1. 1 Warm a small dry skillet over medium heat, then add the sunflower seeds. Stir them now and then until they deepen at the edges and turn nutty and aromatic. Tip them into a bowl so they can cool. Sunflower seeds may be toasted several days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
2. 2 If the radicchio’s outside leaves look tired or bruised, pull off a layer or 2 and discard them. Slice the head into quarters through the root end, then cut away the root. Turn each quarter crosswise and slice it into 1- to 1/2-inch ribbons, then place the radicchio in a large bowl. Add the green olives, chickpeas, and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan.
3. Whisk the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper together to make the dressing. Pour it over the salad and toss with a gentle hand until everything is coated. If the Parmesan gathers in clumps, use a spatula to loosen it and fold it back through the salad.
4. 5 Set the salad aside for at least 10 minutes, or as long as 1 hour, so the flavors have a chance to settle in and smooth out.
5. 6 Taste a bite, then season with more salt and pepper if it needs it. Spoon the salad onto plates or arrange it on a platter, and finish with the remaining Parmesan and the toasted sunflower seeds. This salad is best within an hour of making it, though leftovers hold up well for several days in an airtight container in the fridge.