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Radicchio salad with apple, hazelnuts, aged cheddar, tarragon, and a burnt honey vinaigrette

Yield: 4

Overview: make the vinaigrette, prep the radicchio, and assemble

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Ingredients

For the burnt honey vinaigrette (see note)

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad

• 1 large head radicchio (or a mix)
• 1 apple, thinly sliced (crunchy and sweet variety like honeycrisp or pink lady)
• 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves
• ½ cup hazelnuts, roasted and chopped (see tip)
• 4 oz aged cheddar (Beecher’s Flagship is our go-to)

Instructions

1. Make the vinaigrette. In a small sauce pan over medium heat, cook the honey, swirling frequently, until deeply caramelized (it will be a dark amber color). Remove the honey from the heat, and add the cider vinegar. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Whisk in the mustards. Stream in the olive oil as you continue to whisk. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Prep the radicchio. Cut the radicchio into bite-sized pieces, or tear into larger pieces, depending on how you like your salads. Wash the radicchio and spin well.
3. Dress the salad. Place the radicchio, apple, and tarragon in a bowl and dress with the vinaigrette to taste (you may not need all of it). Taste for salt and adjust.
4. Plate. Mound the salad into salad bowls and top with shaved cheddar, chopped nuts, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Tip

Caramelizing honey tempers its sweetness and results in a deeper, more complex flavor.

Hazelnuts are delicious, but their papery skins are a pain to remove. After roasting, you have to rub them between your palms like you’re starting a fire and then sift. There’s no shame in buying them already roasted.

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