In praise of bitter leaves. David Tanis

We have pretty much stopped using bags of salad (aside from Rocket which we can only really get that way)they go off very quickly and quite often the don't taste great. They also wilt terribly when dressed. We now use the best combination of firm leaves we can get …. little gem, Romaine, chicory, endive, radicchio and occasionally the very lovely looking castelfranco. I love David Tanis’ recipe from his book Market Cooking.

Ingredients

mixed chicory leaves, such as radicchio, Castelfranco or Belgian endives, trimmed and washed

2 garlic cloves, grated

4 anchovy fillets, chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Tear radicchio or Castelfranco leaves into rough 2-inch pieces; or leave whole if they are small. slice any other chicories into 2-inch-wide ribbons. Put the leaves in a salad bowl.

Make the dressing: smash the garlic to a paste with some salt, now pound in the anchovies, add the mustard, vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a generous amount of pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Make the salad: Sprinkle the chicory leaves with a pinch of salt and add 3 tablespoons dressing. Toss well, making sure all leaves are coated lightly. Taste a leaf and add more dressing as needed.

Comments

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