Radicchio Salad

By: Caren Hatton

This salad is chock full of seasonal ingredients. The citrus from the mandarins and sweetness from the and dates pair perfectly with bitter radicchio. I suggest preparing the ingredients in advance and assembling the salad just before serving.

Pairing suggestion: Arietta Red Wine H Block Hudson 2018

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste
• 1 t. coarse kosher salt
• 1 t. freshly ground black pepper
• 6 T. balsamic vinegar
• 12 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 15 oz. can of mandarin oranges
• 3 cups pitted whole Medjool dates (about 15)
• 4 large heads radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 large heads red leaf lettuce or lettuce of your choice
• 3 cup parmesan cheese shavings (each about 1 in.)
• 1 ½ cup roasted almonds

Directions

1. In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine garlic paste, kosher salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Cap jar and shake vigorously until dressing is emulsified.
2. Thinly slice dates and add to the bowl along with radicchio, lettuce, 2 cup parmesan shavings, and ½ cup almonds. Pour dressing over salad; toss thoroughly to coat. Turn salad onto a large platter or into a bowl and top with remaining mandarin oranges, 1 cup parmesan, and 1 cup almonds.

This recipe was adapted from Sunset Magazine.