• 3 Tablespoons of sherry vinegar, more if needed;
• 1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard;
• ½ Teaspoon of maple syrup or honey;
• Salt & ground black pepper;
• 2 Garlic cloves, smashed & peeled;
• 1/3 Cup of extra virgin olive oil, more as needed;
• 4 Cups of cooked or canned chickpeas;
• 4 Large or 6 small celery stalks, trimmed (reserve the leaves) & cut into large julienne;
• 2 Large scallions, white & pale green parts, thinly sliced on a diagonal, or ¼ cup of a thinly sliced red onion;
• 1 to 2 Cups of loosely packed celery leaves, coarsely chopped;
• 1 Pint of small tomatoes, halved;
• ¼ Cup of loosely packed basil leaves, rolled & julienne; and
• 2 ounces of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated, or crumbled feta cheese.

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, maple syrup & a large pinch each of salt & pepper. Drop in garlic cloves, stir & set aside for 15 to 30 minutes to let flavor infuse.

 Gradually whisk in oil, as dressing will emulsify. Mix in chickpeas, celery & scallions. Cover & refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.

 Remove garlic cloves from dressing. Taste & adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, vinegar & olive oil. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

 If desired, make croutons for serving: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull the soft bread out of the center of the loaf, leaving most of the crust behind, & tear bread into bite-size pieces. You should have about 3 cups. Spread pieces on a rimmed baking sheet & bake for 12 minutes until golden & crisp & let cool.

 Just before serving, mix celery leaves, tomatoes, basil & croutons, if using, into the salad. In a serving bowl place layers of greens, if using, in the bottom, add celery mixture & then top with cheese & more pepper.