Escarole Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Think beyond lettuce when you want a green salad. Escarole, a broad-leafed endive, is a chicory, like radicchio. Escarole is somewhat less bitter than radicchio and can be prepared raw or cooked. Escarole is often found in salad mixes, particularly in winter salad mixes. In this salad, escarole is the sole green and its slight bitterness works really well with the apple. If you want, add some crumbled bleu cheese.

Ingredients
1 lb. escarole
1 apple
¼ cup walnuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine or sherry vinegar
~ salt
~ pepper

Steps

1. Toast walnuts until lightly browned. Let cool, then rub skins off with a towel.
2. Wash and dry escarole. Tear into bite sized pieces.
3. Core and thinly slice apple.
4. Whisk together oil and vinegar in a large salad bowl. Add escarole, apples, and walnuts. Toss, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Wilted Escarole Salad

Ingredients

1 lb. escarole (about one head)
3 T chopped shallot
3 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
~ salt
~ pepper
2 slices bacon, cooked and broken into bits (optional)

Steps

1. Wash the escarole, dry and tear into bite size pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, add the shallot, and cook until the onion is softened. Add the escarole and saute for a minute or two. Add vinegar, cover pan and remove from heat.
3. Remove lid after a few minutes. The escarole should be wilted but still bright in color. Place escarole into a serving bowl. Add the bacon (optional), salt and pepper to taste and toss. Serve warm.

 Note: You can add toasted walnuts or hazelnuts as well.