Winter Greens
These graceful Winter Greens are lip smackingly perfect, dressed in our Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette. Someone once said, the Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette is reminiscent of our lemon tart…. all bottled up. So savoury & delicious you can eat it by the spoonfuls.
Perfect Winter Greens, a combination of hearty bitter leaves to balance the fruits sweetness, blended with peppery arugula & watercress, softened with butterblend. Drizzled with a bright, zesty citrusy vinaigrette finished with pistachios to lend a little salt & crunch.
Ingredients
Assorted greens
castelfranco radicchio
belgian endive
watercress
arugula
butterblend or boston lettuce
chives or torn mint or both
shaved radishes
grapefruit slices & segments
pomegranate
toasted & seasoned pistachios
Preparing the greens
Washing the greens
fill your salad spinner with cool water, add one type of greens per washing
soak for 20 minutes, lift basket up, pour out water
fill spinner with cold water add greens for a second washing, swirl greens gently
drain, spin, gently wrap in clean slightly damp dish towel or paper towel
wrap in ziplock bag, store for 3-5 days
TIP: Store greens separately, better shelf life
TIP: Keep leaves intact to avoid browning
Preparing the garnishes
Citrus
Citrus fruit is all about personal preference, select a variety of oranges or select a variety of grapefruits or both. Choose heavy, sweet and juicy fruit. The key is to remove the skin & the bitter pith. Cut into segments and slices. This step can be prepared a day ahead covered in an airtight container & refrigerated.
Pomegranate
Pomegranates add flavour, crunch & are in season. Wash the pomegranate well before starting. Place on cutting board and cut along the top about 1/2” to expose the fruit and white membrane. Cut down the fruit, through the skin, along the membrane.
Fill a bowl with water. Immerse the pomegranate into the water, pull apart into wedges. Gently release the seeds. The seeds will sink, the membrane will float to the top. Skim top with a sieve to remove the membrane. Drain the seeds, place into a container & refrigerate until ready to use. Prepare a day ahead.
Radishes
Choose firm radishes. Wash well. Shave with a mandoline or slice as thin as possible. Place radish slices into iced water to crisp up. Store in refrigerator. Prepare a day ahead.
TIP: Shave the radish using a mandoline so they don’t cling to the delicate greens & weigh them down
To Assemble
To assemble the salad start with an oversized platter to create a single layer.
Place a few citrus rounds in the corner. Add a layer of radicchio, butterblend & Belgian endive. Scatter watercress, place arugula leaves into crevices of endive, arrange citrus segments & lightly scatter the radish.
TIP: Getting ahead. Prep the platter ahead to this point. Cover the salad with a damp towel, cover with plastic to retain moisture. Holds well for up to 5 hours.
FINAL TOUCHES: Just prior to serving unwrap the platter. Season well, scatter pistachios, top with chives, garnish with pomegranate.
