puntarelle and orange salad

insalata di puntarelle all’arancia

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

Puntarelle is a winter chicory that hails from the Catalonia coastline of Lazio Gaeta. Its pleasantly bitter flavor paris well with oranges and fennel in this gorgeos salad. If you can't find it here (and chances are goods you won't), frisee, another member of the chicory family, makes a fine substitute.

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Ingredients

1/2 pound puntarelle or frisée, trimmed
1 small bulb fennel, trimmed (reserving fronds) and thinly sliced
2 navel oranges
1/4 pound button mushrooms, very thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Instructions

Cut puntarelle lengthwise into thin strips. Submerge puntarelle and fennel in ice water and let soak until puntarelle is curled and fennel is crisp, about 10 minutes.

Using a sharp paring knife, cut peel and white pith from oranges, then cut each section of fruit away from membranes, cutting as close to membranes as you can, and place sections in a large bowl. Squeeze 2 tablespoons juice from membranes into a second bowl.

Drain puntarelle and fennel. Pat dry, then place in a large bowl. Add orange segments and mushrooms.

Finely chop enough fennel fronds to make 1/4 cup. In a bowl, whisk together fronds, orange juice, parsley, oil, shallot, mustard and salt. Add to bowl with salad and toss to combine.

February 2012