Endive Salad with Rosemary Croutons and Citrus
Elegant and simple, this dinner party-worthy salad recipe is a beautiful balance of flavors and textures. All of the components can be prepared a few hours ahead of time–simply keep the oranges, dressing, and endives in separate containers in your refrigerator and the croutons and toasted nuts covered at room temperature. Dress the salad just before serving to keep everything crisp and crunchy!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Toasted Nuts and Croutons
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) slivered almonds
- 4 ounces good crusty bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (crusts discarded, about 2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For The Anchovy Dressing
- 3 anchovy fillets, minced (optional, see note)
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
- 3 cara cara or navel oranges
- 4 heads red endive, or a mix of red and white, trimmed and leaves separated
- 3/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Toast the nuts. In a large dry skillet over medium heat, add the almond slivers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a large plate to cool.
- Make the croutons. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the torn bread. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with the rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cook, tossing the bread occasionally, until it's toasted, crispy, and golden brown —6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to the plate along with the nuts to cool.
- Make the dressing. In a salad bowl, combine the anchovies, garlic, orange juice, sherry vinegar, and honey. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth—season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Zest and peel the orange. Zest enough of the orange to get 1 teaspoon of zest and set aside for later. Trim the top and bottom off the oranges. Working with one at a time, place the orange on the cut side so it sits flat. Slice along the contour of the orange from top to bottom, removing its peel and pith and leaving as much of the juicy orange segments as possible.
- Segment the orange. You'll see the natural segments of the orange separated by thin membranes. Use a small knife to cut along each membrane, segmenting the fruit without the bitter pith.
- Just before serving: assemble the salad. To the bowl with the dressing, add the endive, orange segments, Parmesan, the rosemary croutons, and toasted almonds. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with a little more salt and black pepper, if desired. Garnish with the 1 teaspoon of reserved orange zest. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To make the dressing vegetarian: Add a tablespoon of minced Kalamata olives in place of the anchovies.
- To keep red or white endive crisp and fresh: Wrap each head in a damp paper towel, place in a sealed Ziplock bag, and store in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.3g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20.6g | Saturated Fat: 4.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12.5g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 10.2mg | Sodium: 655.4mg | Potassium: 328.7mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 10.1g | Vitamin A: 278.6IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 237.4mg | Iron: 1.5mg
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