Escarole is a member of the Chicory family which includes endives, frisee, and radicchio. It is a more bitter leafy green vegetable which holds up well with this hardy dressing. If available, I like to use a combination of endive, radicchio, and a sprinkling of fresh radish. (Radicchio looks like a miniature red cabbage; it is considered an Italian Superfood!) I've modified this recipe a little bit from The Best Ever French Cooking Course cookbook by Carole Clements and Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen. (It's been one of my favorite resources since 1988!)
Serves 4 Large Salads
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup walnut oil
1-2 tbsp. sunflower oil
1 head of Escarole, removing and wash leaves and tearing into bite-size portions
6 Endives, wash and separate leaves, divide and arrange separated leaves on salad plates
2 Celery stalks, peeled and thinly cut
2 small radish
1/2 cup walnuts pieces, lightly toasted in pan with a tiny pat of butter
Chopped fresh parsley
2-4 oz Roquefort cheese, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Slowly add the walnut oil and then the sunflower oil. Divide and arrange the escarole and endive leaves between the salad plates. Sprinkle the celery slices, toasted walnuts and chopped parsley over the leaves. Crumble the Roquefort cheese equally on each plate. Pour a healthy drizzle of vinaigrette over each salad.
This is a salade composee, a composed salad, which is typically served at the end of a meal and before the cheese platter and dessert.
Bon Appetit!