Seared Radicchio Wedge Salad
For this hearty twist on the classic wedge salad, we use seared radicchio as the base. Quickly cooking a quartered head of radicchio in a hot, oil-slicked skillet deeply browned and slightly softened the vegetable's cut sides while leaving the inner leaves crisp. To complement its bitterness, we paired the radicchio with a creamy, savory dressing; rich toasted walnuts; refreshing and sweet fruit; and salty Parmesan, making sure that there was plenty of each to balance every bite.
INGREDIENTS
Dressing
⅔ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon table salt
Salad
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 head radicchio, cut in half for looser head varieties, quartered for denser varieties
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 piece of fruit (peach!), cut into small slices
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
2 tablespoons allium greens (chives or spring onion greens both work)
Directions:
BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Make sure that the oil is shimmering before adding the radicchio to the skillet; if the oil isn't hot enough, the radicchio will be greasy. The core of the radicchio holds the wedges together as they cook, but it's too tough to eat. The original recipe calls for apple, but we love any seasonal, juicy fruit with this recipe. We’re calling out peaches since they’re also in the FEED Bins this week.
FOR THE DRESSING: Whisk all ingredients together in bowl and set aside. (Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
FOR THE SALAD: Heat oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange radicchio wedges cut side down in skillet and cook until undersides are deeply browned and edges are wilted, 1-2 minutes. Cook time will be closer to 1 minute for a looser head radicchio. Denser indigo radicchio will need closer to 2 minutes. Flip wedges and cook until second cut side is deeply browned, about 2 minutes.
Arrange radicchio wedges on individual plates, with cut sides facing up. Drizzle each portion with 2 tablespoons dressing. Sprinkle ¼ cup walnuts and one-quarter of the fruit around each wedge. Sprinkle ¼ cup Parmesan over each salad. Sprinkle salads with chives and serve, passing remaining dressing separately.
Recipe Source: Cooks Illustrated