radicchio salad

Looking for a winter salad that’s not sad? This is your answer. It’s bitter, bright, and tangy, making it the perfect side. This would be great with seared salmon or steak, or if it’s as nice as it has been, you could serve this with grilled chicken.

Ingredients:

2 heads radicchio

1 fennel bulb, keep the fronds

1 grapefruit, cut into segments

green olives, cut in half, or crushed with the flat part of your knife

feta cheese, crumbled

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Step 1:

Cut the stem off of your radicchio and discard the butter leaves. Remove the remaining leaves layer by layer, tearing larger leaves in half. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl. If you’re having trouble peeling the leaves off the head, cut a little more of the base off to disconnect the leaves.

Step 2:

Cut the top and bottom of your fennel off so that only the bulb remains. Cut in half, cutting from top to bottom. Lay the halves onto their sides and cut into strips, as thin as possible. Add to the medium bowl. Take one of the stalks and cut into very thin rounds. pluck some of the fronds. Reserve for garnish.

Step 3:

Cut the peel off of your grapefruit. Start by cutting the top and bottom off and then placing it cut side down on the cutting board. Cut the peel off cutting from top to bottom until all is removed. Cut along the lines on the grapefruit to separate each segment. Add the segments to the mixing bowl and squeeze the juice into a separate container. Reserve for dressing.

Step 4:

For the dressing, add the grapefruit juice, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil into a jar with a lid or a small bowl. If using a jar, put the lid on and shake until the dressing is emulsified. If using a bowl, whisk ingredients with a fork until combined. Dress the salad and toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Step 5:

Plate the salad on a platter, or shallow bowl. Crumble feta over the salad, followed by olives, and fennel stock and fronds. Finish with cracked black pepper and enjoy!