SEASONAL SALAD
Salads have the reputation of being a summer or warm weather
plate of nutritious greens, fresh fruits and sometimes vegetables. As a northeastern dweller
for most of my life (with the exception of eight glorious years living
in Honolulu), I've stayed in love with the more sturdy and flavorful greens available
this time of year. Some of these
greens are actually available year-round (such as radicchio) but eating them at this
time of year in a salad when the temperatures are cooler seems more appropriate to
their earthy strong flavors.
Arugula, radicchio, watercress, endive, escarole, dried figs, toasted pine
nuts, toasted or candied pecans, fresh fennel, are just a few "winter-y"
ingredients for salads when the chill in the air doesn't necessarily
make you yearn for a salad. Also, when adding cooked and chilled French
green beans (haricots verts) it turns this salad into a vegetarian
main dish.
I would serve a comforting
braised veal or lamb dish or a rosemary/garlic seasoned and roasted chicken
served with blanched green beans sautéed
with chopped shallots cooked in butter.
WINTER SALAD - serves 4
| 1 medium head |
radicchio |
| 4 handfuls |
baby arugula |
| 1 head |
endive |
| 1 small head |
fresh fennel bulb |
| 4 fresh or dried |
figs |
| 1 cup |
pecans, toasted |
SALAD DRESSING
| 3 tablespoons |
extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 tablespoon |
white balsamic vinegar |
| 1 teaspoon |
Dijon mustard |
| |
sea salt & ground black pepper to taste |
in a large bowl, tear or cut radicchio into shreds or
bite-size pieces; add baby arugula left whole, endive cut into julienne
strips; fresh fennel bulb, cut into julienne strips; fresh or dried
figs, cut into pieces; toast the pecans in a non-stick skillet. Toss
ingredients to combine.
In a small mixing bowl or using an empty
small jar with a lid add the ingredients for the salad dressing; whisk
ingredients together in the bowl or if using a jar with a lid shake it until
ingredients are mixed.
Taste the dressing and adjust by
adding more of any ingredient as your taste buds dictate.
When adding dressing to this or any salad, add in small amounts, toss
and taste before adding more dressing. To me, there is nothing
worse than an over-dressed salad!
