A Festive Holiday Salad by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan
December 10, 2021
This salad ticks all the boxes: it’s colorful, crunchy, seasonal, and a bit exotic!
I made it for our Thanksgiving table and wowed the crowd! Persimmons are available in the market right now and for this salad, I used the squat round variety called Fuyu. It’s like an apple, sliceable and delicious when firm, unlike the ‘pointy’ Hachiya variety which is eaten when super-ripe and soft and has a very custardy texture.
- Prep: 50 mins
- Cook: 50 mins
- Yields: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 cup whole walnuts
1 Fuyu persimmon
1 each, 5 or 6-ounce package of washed watercress or substitute arugula 2 medium heads of
Belgian endive
1 small head of radicchio (need 8-10 whole leaves)
dressing:
1 medium shallot, peeled
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar (plus more as needed to taste)
1 pinch dried (or fresh) thyme leaves
1⁄4 cup walnut oil (optional, can use all canola or vegetable oil instead)
1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola, vegetable, or other neutral-flavored oil 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 teaspoon
Kosher salt (plus more or less to Fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spread walnuts out on a sheet pan and toast for 5-7 minutes or until very lightly toasted. You will have more walnuts than needed for this recipe. The extra toasted walnuts will keep covered but unrefrigerated. It (Always nice to have on hand...I toss toasted walnuts into my oatmeal or yogurt.) Set aside to cool.
Make dressing.
Very very finely mince the shallot, the pieces should be small enough to disappear into the finished dressing. Add to a small bowl along with the mustard, the vinegar, the thyme leaves, and a small pinch of kosher salt. Whisk to combine. Slowly slowly slowly drizzle in 1⁄2 cup of the ‘neutral’ oil, whisking continuously to form and hold an emulsion. Slowly add the walnut oil if using
or if not, add another 1⁄4 cup of the ‘neutral’ oil. Please taste...dip a small piece of radicchio or endive leaf into the vinaigrette to judge its flavor. It should be slightly acidic; that is, have a slight ‘bite’. Add more vinegar bit by bit to balance the flavor. Add kosher salt and pepper to taste. (Do not fret if the emulsion does not stay together. Not a deal-breaker! Set aside. Wash and dry the persimmon.
Use a small knife to cut out the stem. Cut the persimmon in half through the stem end. I took a peeler and peeled each half. It’s not necessary, but adds a bit more finesse. Lay each persimmon half flat-side down on a cutting board and cut even thin slices as if you were cutting an apple into slices. Set aside. Separate the leaves from the Belgian endive. Wash and dry gently. (Keep trimming the base to get the leaves to release.) Peel the radicchio leaves in much the same manner.
Wash and dry the radicchio
leaves. Tear or cut both endive and radicchio leaves in half. Assembly. Choose a beautiful serving bowl. Add the watercress, endive, and radicchio to the bowl and toss to combine. Add the slices of sliced persimmon. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of dressing and toss gently to combine. Add a pinch of kosher salt and toss again.
Don’t over-dress the salad....just add enough dressing at this point to make the greens glisten! Serve extra dressing at the table.
Sprinkle a generous handful of walnuts over the top.
