Chef Nick Anderer’s Autumn Radicchio Salad

Greens

• 1 large head of Castelfranco
• 1 head of pale, crispy escarole (substitute romaine hearts or gem lettuce if crispy escarole is not available)
• 1 small head of “Treviso” (substitute red radicchio, if not available)
• 2 tablespoons maple vinaigrette
• 1 Tablespoon salted pumpkin seeds
• 4 oz gorgonzola dolce (substitute stilton or blue cheese if you prefer)
• Fresh lemon juice to taste
• Kosher salt to taste
• High quality extra virgin olive oil to taste (we use our 100% Italian Estate olive oil)

Maple Vinaigrette

• 2 each egg yolks
• 3 cup white balsamic vinegar (substitute rice wine vinegar if necessary)
• 1 ½ tablespoons white soy soy sauce (do not substitute dark soy sauce as it will impact the color; use salt as a substitute for white soy sauce)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¾ teaspoons Madagascar pepper, ground (substitute black pepper)
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste

• Strip the leaves of Castelfranco and escarole and cut into bite sized pieces. Transfer to a salad bowl.
• With a stick blender, blend all ingredients for vinaigrette except the olive oil until the mixture is light in color, roughly 30 seconds. Start streaming in olive oil slowly.
• Toss in the maple vinaigrette, a light squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkle of salt. Add more vinaigrette if more robust dressing is desired.
• Transfer salad to serving dish or plate and top with torn pieces of gorgonzola, a sprinkle of salted pumpkin seeds, and a healthy drizzle of Leon’s olive oil.