TWENTY-EIGHT & TWENTY-NINE : ESCAROLE SALAD

JULY 27 2011


TWENTY-EIGHT : ESCAROLE WITH SLICED RED ONION & WALNUTS
TWENTY-NINE : WALNUT DRESSING


So far, I have really enjoyed all the salads in the Frankies cookbook and this one is no exception. I was a bit concerned at first because all of the ingredients are super intense. A nibble of escarole proved it to be really, really bitter, to the point of almost spitting it out. Add to that 1 cup raw sliced onions, 1 cup raw walnut chunks and 1 cup sliced pecorino romano then toss it all with a raw walnut dressing. Sounds like a mouthful, right?!

walnuts and sliced red onion ready for the salad

But, somehow, all of these ingredients came together in serious harmony and the salad was amazing! The dressing consisted of pureed walnuts with oil and red wine vinegar and perfectly tempered the other powerful ingredients.

YUM!

I would have devoured the whole thing, but the charred fava beans sitting next to it also demanded significant attention. I hope the various salads aren't all blending together in your mind, because they each deserve their own love and recognition.

escarole, red onion and walnut. a match made in heaven!