Recipes › Radicchio › Radicchio, Walnut, and Gorgonzola Salad
Radicchio, Walnut, and Gorgonzola Salad
A bold, assertive salad built on radicchio's bitterness, tempered with creamy gorgonzola, sweet pears, and crunchy toasted walnuts. Dressed with a honey-walnut oil vinaigrette, it's a composed winter salad that stands up as a first course for a dinner party.
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Ingredients
- 2 radicchio, leaves separated, large ones torn
- 3½ oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbledor milder blue cheese
- 2¾ oz walnuts, roughly toasted in a dry pan
- 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp walnut oil or olive oil
- 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp salt and black pepper, to taste
Contains: milk, nuts, sulphites.
Method
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Let cool.About 4 min
- Whisk together walnut oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.About 2 min
- Arrange radicchio on a platter. Top with pear slices, gorgonzola, and walnuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.About 5 min
Tips
- Toast the walnuts just before serving — stale walnuts undermine the whole salad.
- Dress the salad lightly — radicchio is already full of flavor.
Ring the changes
- Replace pear with sliced blood orange for a more stunning winter salad.
- Use pecans and manchego instead of walnuts and gorgonzola for a Spanish-influenced version.
Keeping it
Best assembled just before serving. The dressed leaves wilt within an hour.
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