Showing posts with label Escarole. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Escarole. Show all posts

Monday, June 11, 2012

Escarole Salad with Parmesan Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1/2 head escarole, tip and tail trimmed, sliced lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 head radicchio, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced dates
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus several shavings
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Combine the escarole and radicchio in a large salad bowl. Toss in the dates.
  2. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon juice, mustard, grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and black pepper. Shake well to combine. Pour over the salad and toss.
  3. Grate more Parmesan on top and serve.

    What is Escarole?

    For people who enjoy using endive in various dishes, escarole is a form of endive that is both versatile and tasty. Sometimes referred to as broad chicory or common chicory, endive is a salad green that can make the difference between ordinary and outstanding
    Characterized by broad outer leaves, this member of the chicory clan does have a slightly bitter taste, but much less so than many other forms of endive. With a crinkled shape to the leaves, escarole is an example of greens that provide various degrees of flavor as the outer leaves are removed. While the outer leaves are a dark green, peeling back a layer will reveal a lighter shade of green. As more layers are peeled back, the leaves continue to lighten in shade. As the shade of the leaves lightens, the degree of bitter taste also lessens. The result is that it is possible to use different layers of escarole to achieve the taste you want with the dish you are preparing.