Chicory and Roquefort Salad Recipe
We rediscovered chicory lately and still can’t satisfy our appetite for these creamy white leaves. This ancient plant, known also as Belgian endive, witloof or just endive is in season practically all winter. Most commonly it’s stuffed, baked, boiled, cut, and cooked in a milk sauce or in lemon juice. But we only recently found that just a few simple ingredients are needed to complement its delicate flavor when it's row, and this is how this salad was created. It is light, crunchy, and lends itself to lots of variations. Used fresh, without cooking chicory is actually less bitter, but if you don’t tolerate the bitterness at all go for the whiter leaves and avoid the harder inner part of the stem at the bottom of the head.
Description
This salad is a delicious mix of ingredients, combining roasted chicory with creamy Roquefort cheese. It's perfect on its own or as a side dish to roast chicken or grilled lamb. The dressing of balsamic vinegar and olive oil provides the perfect tangy-sweet balance for this hearty salad.
Ingredients
- 2 white chicory heads
- 1 small celeriac (Can be substituted with 4 celery sticks, peeled and cut into julienne strips)
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly crushed and toasted
- 100-120 g Roquefort cheese, crumbled (Stilton can be used, or any blue cheese you like.)
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2-3 tbsp walnut oil
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and salt in a small bowl. Slowly add the oils, whisking constantly.
Arrange the chicory in a serving plate (or even better in individual plates). Sprinkle over the celery, walnuts, and the crumbled cheese. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.