You know how the Very Hungry Caterpillar pigged out on: one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss Cheese, one slice of salami, one lollipop, one piece of cherry pie, one sausage, one cupcake and one slice of watermelon and then he ate through one nice green leaf and felt a whole lot better?
Well, that’s me after Christmas! Fat and full! Here’s my salad cleanse recipe. (Is there such a thing?) No, actually, this is just one of my signature Winter salads. It does feel good to eat it though and it’s always a hit. Even folks that aren’t too sure about fennel and bitter greens finish their plates. I love the peppery arugula with juicy sweet Comice pears, bitter radicchio and endive, a refreshing watery crunch from shaved fennel and torn mint for a cool finish. The honey white balsamic vinaigrette ties it all together. Sometimes I add zest of buddha’s hand too if I can find it!
This Christmas, since it was just a small family gathering, I decided to do some of my own favorite bistro creations – ones that I have used time and time again in different forms for many restaurant menus. I will be posting the rest of the menu over the next week. I hope you’ll give this simple yet elegant and delicious feel good salad a try.
Happy Holidays to you and yours! May your caterpillar cocoon be warm and cozy until we all turn into butterflies in 2021!
Ingredients
- Honey White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 T honey
- 2 T Meyer lemon juice
- Kosher salt to taste
- Parmesan Crisps
- 2 cups real shredded Parmesan
- Salad Fixings:
- 1/2 radicchio, shaved
- 2 Endives, chopped on the bias
- Baby Arugula, 6 cups loosely packed
- 3-4 sprigs mint, leaves torn
- 1 ripe Comice pear, sliced 1/8"-thin
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- Note: Chicories come in all different shapes and colors! Choose what looks in season!
For the Honey White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
Whisk all the ingredients besides the olive in a glass bowl. Slowly stream in oil whisking constantly to emulsify. Taste vinaigrette and adjust sweetness to your preference. Add salt to taste. This recipe makes extra dressing so you can use throughout the week.
Parm Crisps:
Heat oven to 350˚F and place oven rack in the middle. On a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper, spread shredded Parmesan into 6-inch single layer circles. Pop in the oven and bake until crisps are a dark orange color, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Easy peasy.
For Salad:
Combine all greens in a large bowl, but save the pears to dress separately as they can be delicate. Sprinkle a little Kosher salt over top. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of vinaigrette over and toss lightly. Taste a leaf to check seasoning. Plate salad tall on individual plates. In the salad bowl add the pears and toss with another tablespoon of vinaigrette. Delicately place pears around salad. Add a Parmesan crisp to one side for dramatic presentation!
