This salad seems to vary from town to town and evolve with the seasons along the Riviera dei Fiori. Some authors call it a tomato salad, and others barely include tomatoes. Some have potatoes, some do not, anchovies appear to be optional, as are capers and celery. Unlike Salade Niçoise, no one calls for artichokes.

Curry powder is the building block of Indian cooking. It’s responsible for bringing color and depth to countless dishes. It is mixed with herbed squash, pomegranate, walnuts, kale, and a cumin-dill yogurt dressing and pulls on flavors from Dahi Chaat, an Indian roadside snack made with fried dough puffs, spiced yogurt, smashed chickpeas, and sweetened chutney. Street vendors all over Mumbai, India, are the masters of making this typical snack. Like Dahi Chaat, this Curry Risotto Salad is full of spices, crunch, and notes of sweetness from the pomegranates. 

Use a sheep’s milk ricotta if that is your preference. This makes for a wonderful savory breakfast. If you prefer something swee t to start your day, just drizzle some honey on top. Serve this with toasted slices from a rustic loaf.

Walnut oil adds a delicate, nutty taste and rich perfume to the dressing in this recipe. A L’ Olivier produces virgin nut oils the old-fashioned way, using local walnut kernels that are toasted, stone-ground into a paste, and then freshly pressed.