Description
A vibrant and tangy Blue Cheese, Walnut, and Chicory Salad that combines the bitter crunch of radicchio and Belgian endive with the creamy sharpness of blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and a zesty mustard-vinegar dressing. Perfect as a refreshing starter or a light meal, this salad offers layers of texture and flavor in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Components
- 1 head radicchio
- 4 heads Belgian endive
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Toast Walnuts: Toast the chopped walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they are fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Prepare Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper. Gradually add the olive oil in a slow stream while whisking continuously until the dressing emulsifies and coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Prepare Chicory: Remove any wilted outer leaves from the radicchio and Belgian endives. Halve the radicchio, remove its core, and chop into 1-inch pieces. Trim root ends of the endives, separate some whole leaves for garnish, and chop the remaining endive pieces into ½-inch chunks.
- Assemble Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped radicchio and endive. Add half of the toasted walnuts and half of the crumbled blue cheese. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss gently to evenly coat the leaves without bruising.
- Plate and Garnish: Arrange the reserved whole endive leaves on a serving platter. Pile the dressed salad mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining walnuts and blue cheese. Serve the salad immediately to enjoy its fresh, crisp flavors.
Notes
- To enhance the flavor, consider using walnuts that are freshly toasted to bring out their nuttiness.
- You can substitute blue cheese with Gorgonzola or Roquefort if preferred.
- For a vegan version, omit the blue cheese or replace it with a plant-based cheese alternative.
- If you prefer a milder salad, soak the radicchio and endive leaves briefly in cold water to reduce bitterness before draining and assembling.
- Serve immediately after assembling to maintain crispness of the greens.
