Radicchio & Apple Salad with Garden Herb Vinaigrette
Tart, crunchy and crisp, this salad celebrates the classic combination of apple and radicchio.
Ingredients:
1 head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
2 fennel bulbs, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 large sweet-tart apple, cored and sliced
Garden-Herb vinaigrette (see recipe)
¼ toasted nuts, such as pecans or hazelnuts
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Combine apple slices, fennel and radicchio in a large bowl.
2. Pour about ¼ cup of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
3. Taste, and gradually add more dressing to your liking. Garnish with reserved fennel fronds and toasted nuts.
Brussels Sprout Crown Salad with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette
This hearty salad is accented by apples, dried cranberries and a tart Meyer lemon dressing.
Ingredients:
1 Brussels sprouts crown head, cored and shredded
3 cups thinly chopped Lacinato kale
1 apple, finely diced
2 small avocados (or 1 large) diced
½ cup shaved almonds
½ cup dried cranberries
Dressing:
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 small Meyer lemons
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
Method:
1. Add salad ingredients to a large bowl.
2. Prepare dressing by mixing together mustard, olive oil, lemons, and maple syrup together with a fork until smooth.
3. Drizzle dressing over salad ingredients, and toss together until evenly coated.
Fregola Sarda Salad
A light and bright salad accented by capers, garlic and hazelnuts.
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1¼ cups fregola sarda
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup capers, rinsed and patted dry
2 medium cloves garlic, smashed
1 lemon
2 or 3 medium endives, or 1 head radicchio cored & cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
½ cup torn fresh basil
⅓ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Sea salt
Optional: a sprinkling of dried currants
Method:
1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by ½ inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly 10 minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking, place them in the ice bath for 3 minutes or so–long enough to stop the cooking. Peel, grate on a box grater, toss with a couple pinches of salt, and set aside.
2. Bring at least 8 cups of water to a boil, salt the water generously, add the fregola, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes (or follow the package instructions). You want it al dente, not at all mushy. Drain, rinse lightly with cold water, and shake off as much residual moisture as possible.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the capers and garlic and cook until the capers burst and start to brown. Remove from the heat, discard the garlic, and stir in ¼ teaspoon of salt.
4. To serve, transfer the fregola to a large bowl or platter. Pour the contents of the skillet on top of the pasta and give it a good toss. Add the zest from the lemon and about 1½ tablespoons of lemon juice — a good, generous squeeze. Add the endives, basil, and most of the hazelnuts and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning before finishing with the grated eggs, remaining hazelnuts, and currants.
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Roasted Sweet Onions
Roasted sweet onion adds a wonderful depth of flavor to this refreshing salad.
Ingredients:
2 sweet onions, peeled and sliced into ½-inch-thick rings
2 heirloom or other summer tomatoes, chopped
2 small ears of corn, shucked, blanched and kernels removed
1 scallion, diced
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
10 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange the sliced onion rings on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt, tossing to coat onions on both sides. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through until onions are brown and soft. Remove from onion, allow to cool, then roughly chop.
2. In a large bowl, add the chopped tomatoes, corn kernels and scallion. Add roasted onions and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together honey with sherry vinegar, then add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper then whisk well to combine. Drizzle dressing over the salad to taste and top with basil.
