RECIPES

Escarole Salad with Apple Dressing

I have always used escarole in the past as a sautéed green to serve with fish or meats. Served raw, it has a great crunch and is a nice alternative to other more common lettuces.

Serves: 6
Ingredients:

For the Escarole Salad
2 heads escarole
1 fennel bulb
4 radishes
¾ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

For the Apple Dressing
2 crisp apples (such as Stayman Winesap or Gala), peeled and diced small
1 cup apple cider
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoon sugar
½ cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Garlic Croutons
3 cups medium diced ciabatta bread.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 sprigs thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:

Cut escarole in half lengthwise, and then into quarters. Slice into one-inch strips. Wash under cold water, drain and pat dry. Trim off the ends of the fennel bulb and shave it very thin on a mandolin (about 1/8-inch) around the core. Shave the radishes in very thin rounds on the mandolin. Combine veggies in bowl and set aside.

Place the apples, cider, vinegar, and sugar in medium saucepot. Simmer until apples are just tender, about five minutes Strain out the apples and set them aside to cool. Reduce the remaining liquid until about a half cup remains, about 5-7 minutes more. Let the liquid cool completely and then whisk in the olive oil. Mix in the cooled apples and then season with salt and pepper.

To make the Garlic Croutons, preheat the oven to 350° F. Put the butter, thyme and garlic in a small saucepot over low heat. Steep the ingredients for about 5 minutes to infuse the flavors. Strain the garlic and thyme and toss the bread cubes with the remaining flavored butter, salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the bread begins to brown. Let the croutons cool slightly before topping the salad.

Toss the escarole, fennel, and radish with just enough dressing. Top with garlic croutons and shaved cheese.