This red winter salad with beets and hazelnuts has become a favorite in my house. It isn’t just pretty, it will nourish you. Like endive and another favorite bitter green, escarole, radicchio is a member of the Chicory family, and is rich in cancer fighting vitamins as well as an array of minerals. Just what we need to stay healthy in the winter! Although the concept of red greens seems to be a bit of a reach, once you’ve sampled bitter red radicchio paired with the endive, sweet red beets, and mellow toasted hazelnuts in this great tasting winter salad, all becomes deliciously clear!
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a small sheet pan with parchment. Roast the grapes, if using, until they have shriveled, burst and given up their juices, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile toast the hazelnuts in a heavy pan until they just start to color. Turn out onto a cloth, fold to cover the nuts and roll in the cloth to remove the skins. Roughly chop. Set aside.
3. In the bottom of a large salad bowl, beat the oil, vinegar and salt to taste until blended. Add in the hazelnuts, the roasted grapes if using and the beets. Toss together. Leave to sit for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors develop.
4. Meantime pull apart the radicchio and stack the leaves in a pile. Slice into a thick julienne lengthwise. Quarter the endive and cut out the cores. Slice into a thick julienne. If using Treviso, cut the same way as the endive. Toss together with the arugula and pile on top of the beet mixture. When ready to eat, toss together with the beets and hazelnuts.
Ann's Tips and Tricks
Beets and hazelnuts are a marriage made in heaven and great on their own.
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