Stetson Chopped Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 cups cooked couscous (from 2 cups uncooked) or 4 cups quinoa (from 2 cups uncooked)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts or 2 cups smoked salmon
2 cups roasted dried corn kernels (such as JustCorn)
1 cup grated asiago cheese
1 cup pepitas (salted roasted pumpkin seeds)
1 cup dried currant
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped spinach or 2 cups arugula
Dressing
2 small shallots, diced
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Easy Aioli (use 1 cup)
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pesto (use 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil leaf
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

Make a bed of couscous/quinoa on a large round shallow serving plate. In a wedge shape arrange the chicken, corn, cheese, pumpkin seeds, currants, tomatoes, and spinach on top of the couscous/quino. Alternatively the ingredients can be arranged in strips in individual salad bowls.
To make the dressing: in a medium bowl, combine the shallots, buttermilk, 1 cup aioli, 1/2 cup pesto, lemon juice, and pepper. You will have approximately 3 cups.
Serve the dressing in a pitcher for your guests to drizzle on their salad. Reserve the remaining dressing in a glass jar, refrigerated, for other salads.
Easy Aioli.
(makes about 1 cup).
Combine the olive oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 1 week.
Pesto.
(makes about 3/4 cup).
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the olive oil, basil, pine nuts, and salt until combines. Refrigerate, covered , for 2 or 3 days.