NYC Winter Salad

This salad combines two amazing dishes I had on a recent trip to NYC. While it’s a delicious meal on its own, it would make a wonderful partner to a roast chicken, and juicy steak, or any kind of pork dish! Look for a good-quality aged cheddar; One that seems closer to a Parmesan cheese in texture. The vinaigrette is purposely on the sweeter side to balance out the bitter greens, and please don’t skimp on the orange zest at the end–it really ties all the different flavors together.

Chicories like Endive or Radicchio are typically hardy and bitter, so pairing them with sweet Honeycrisp apples, and savory aged cheddar is a great game plan.

While this salad is easy to prepare, you do need to make a few components. First, as with any salad, a dressing. Here I’m making an on-the-sweeter-side Apple Cider Vinaigrette to help tone down the bitter bite of the chicories.

Using shallot, garlic, and two types of mustard give the vinaigrette complexity in flavor.

Second, I encourage you to make these Garlic-Anchovy Breadcrumbs and shower them over any dish you make (like pasta, a caesar salad, grilled shrimp!).

NYC Winter Salad

with Honeycrisp Apples, Walnuts, Aged Cheddar, and Garlic-Anchovy Breadcrumbs

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 small head radicchio or treviso
3 heads Belgian endive
1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and sliced thinly
1/2 cup of Aged Cheddar cheese, grated on the largest holes of a box grater
1/3 cup toasted walnut pieces
Apple Cider Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Garlic-Anchovy Breadcrumbs (recipe follows)
¼ cup minced chives
1 orange, zested

Method:

1. Cut the Belgian endive in half lengthwise, and then into 1-inch pieces, excluding the thick cores. Cut radicchio in half, remove core with the tip of your knife, and then tear into bite-sized pieces. Combine endive and radicchio in a bowl large enough to toss with all of the other salad components.

2. Pour a little more than half of the vinaigrette around the edge of the bowl, and gently toss the endive and radicchio, so it’s evenly coated. Add in apple slices, cheddar, and walnuts and continue to toss. Taste for seasoning, adding salt & pepper, if needed.

3. Pile this mixture in the middle of a serving platter. Sprinkle generously with Garlic-Anchovy Breadcrumbs and chives.

4. Zest orange directly over the whole platter and serve immediately. 

*Notes

• The Apple Cider Vinaigrette recipe yields about ⅔ cup of vinaigrette (more than you’ll need to dress the salad). It can be made in advance, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

• If you don’t have a food processor to make homemade breadcrumbs, try my friend Elizabeth Karmel’s genius hack! Freeze crusty bread (like a baguette) until it’s solid and then grate it on the large holes of a box grater.

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Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, grated/minced
4 Tablespoons (¼ cup) Apple Cider Vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup, or agave
4 Tablespoons (¼ cup) Olive Oil
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add minced shallot, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, Dijon and whole-grain mustards, and honey. Season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine.

2. Slowly pour in olive oil while whisking constantly until the vinaigrette appears emulsified (it’s okay if it’s slightly broken–that’s very trendy these days). Set aside until ready to assemble salad, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Garlic-Anchovy Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced or grated on rasp-style grater
2 anchovy filets, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup of homemade bread crumbs or store-bought Panko
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
Kosher Salt

Method:

1. Place a 6”- 8”skillet over medium heat, and add 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Once oil is almost shimmering, add anchovies and stir until they begin to break up and dissolve. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

2. Add breadcrumbs and toss in the anchovy-garlic oil until well-coated. If the pan seems too dry, add a touch more oil.  Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs become deeply golden brown, about 5 minutes.

3. Scrape breadcrumbs onto a paper-towel-lined plate and season with salt while still hot. Let cool until it’s time to assemble the salad.