SERVES:
4
INGREDIENTS:
1 - 1 1/2 cups walnut halves and pieces (see procedure)
for the dressing:
approximately 1/3 cup vegetable oil
approx. 2 - 3 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
black pepper to taste
approx. 3 - 4 Tbs real maple syrup (or to taste)
for the salad:
6 - 8 loosely packed cups chopped escarole
1 cup thinly chopped radicchio
2 medium apples, cored and thinly sliced
1/3 cup golden or regular raisins
1 loosely packed cup fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
salt to taste
crumbled blue cheese as desired for garnish
PROCEDURE:
Toast a big handful of walnuts in a pan on the stovetop in a tsp or two of vegetable oil until they've browned up just a bit. Then season them with salt to taste and take them out of the pan to cool.
Next, make the dressing by combining 3 parts vegetable oil with 1 part apple cider vinegar, add a little dollop of Dijon mustard, a crack of black pepper and real maple syrup to taste and whisk it up.
Add the chopped escarole to a large mixing bowl and add a much smaller amount of thinly chopped radicchio, add the cored and thinly sliced apples, a little handful of golden raisins and an optional big handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves.
Then toss that to coat with some or all of the dressing.
Serve it up family style or on individual plates with the toasted walnuts and crumbled blue cheese right on top.
HINTS:
Use dried cranberries instead of raisins to add a tart element to the overall sweetness of the salad.