Castelfranco salad with endive, fennel, persimmon and Parmesan
The gorgeous salad balances the bitterness of the greens with the sweetness of dates and persimmons. It's got bitter, sweet, salty and refreshing CRUNCH!
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If you can’t find Castelfranco, a mild type of radicchio, use radicchio (if you like bitter) and butter or baby gem lettuce (if you don’t enjoy bitter lettuces.) This is a gorgeous fall salad that hits just right with bitter, sweet, salty and crunchy. You could add some roasted nuts to this for even more bang (pistachios, walnuts or pecans would be my choice.)
Yield: serves 4 Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Salad:
1/2 head Castelfranco lettuce (or substitute with radicchio for bitterness, or butter lettuce/baby gem for a milder flavor)
4 heads endive (mix of white and red or just white)
1/2-1 head fennel, thinly sliced (do not use top stalks but save fronds for garnish)
6 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 persimmon
Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish
For the Grainy Mustard Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons grainy mustard (or 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon)
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine or apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the Ingredients:
Cut the Castelfranco lettuce in half and cut out the small core. Then tear into bite-sized pieces and place it in a large salad bowl. This lettuce is usually very clean. If it seems at all dirty though, wash and dry in a salad spinner.
Trim the ends off the endive and pull the leaves off. Add to the bowl with the lettuce.
Thinly slice the fennel bulb and add it to the salad mix.
Pit the dates and but into bite sized pieces. Set aside
Cut the persimmon in half, slice thinly and set aside.
Make the Vinaigrette:
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the grainy mustard, olive oil, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Combine and Serve:
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. Place tossed salad on a serving plate or bowl, layering in the dates, persimmon and shaved Parmesan.