SALAD OF ESCAROLE & RADICCHIO WITH ORANGE SEGMENTS & AVOCADO

March 13th, 2009

I love the crispness and acidity from this salad. It is especially delicious after enjoying rich dishes such as my Pork Saltimbocca or Potato Gnocchi with butter & sage.

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

-2 heads of escarole

-2 heads of purple or Treviso radicchio

-Medium grind sea salt such as a Fleur de Sel

-Freshly ground black pepper

-Best quality extra virgin olive oil (try to find recently harvested olio nuovo)

-Best quality champagne or white wine vinegar

-1 Meyer lemon

-1 avocado cut into segments

-2 oranges cut into segments, pith removed

Trim off the outer leaves of the radicchio and escarole and cut into bite-size pieces. Wash in cold water and if possible dry using a salad spinner. If you don’t have a salad spinner then lay the lettuces out on paper towels and pat dry. Or if you would like to use an old-fashioned method wrap all lettuces in a large cloth towel. Grab the bottom of the towel and step outside. Hold the towel behind your back and vigorously sling forward as if you are going to launch the towel in front of you. Repeat until all the water has come off the lettuces.

Put the lettuces, avocado & orange into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle approximately 1 tablespoon of the sea salt on top of the lettuces. Crack a few good rounds of black pepper. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the champagne vinegar over everything. The vinegar will cause the salt to break down. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over everything. Drizzle a healthy amount of the extra virgin olive oil, approximately 3 tablespoons. With your hands carefully mix the salad well. Taste a lettuce. Is there enough saltiness and most importantly acidity? If not, add more vinegar and toss again and taste.

I like a lot of acidity in my salads so feel free to adjust this to your taste and to those of your guests. Enjoy!

Entry Filed under: Recipe Postings, Blogroll, General Food Postings