radicchio and fennel salad with pears and hazelnuts

THANKSGIVING TIP:
Serve a balanaced (in color, texture, the food and its components itself).
This seasonal and crunchy, light  salad is perfect to  balance to a starchy Thanksgiving meal!

 serves 8

what you need:

salad
1 small head radicchio, core removed
2 small fennel bulbs, core removed
1 ripe Taylor’s Gold or Bosc pear, sliced (core and seeds removed)
¼ cup hazelnut pieces, toasted
¼ cup dried currants
⅓ cup fresh pomegranate seeds

dressing
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
4 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon heavy cream
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon gros sel de Guérande (or sea salt)

how to: 

salad

• Toast Nuts. Place hazelnuts in a pan over a medium-high flame. Toast until golden brown and the oil in the nuts begins to release. Remove from stove and set aside to cool.

• Slice Radicchio And Fennel. Cut Radicchio head in half. Remove core. Place the flat side of radicchio half on a cutting surface. Slice radicchio into strips about  ½ inch wide. Repeat the same cutting process for the fennel, but make the strips thinner.

• Slice Pears. Cut pears in half. Remove core and seeds. Slice pear halves as you did for the radicchio and fennel.

• Combine. Place the pear slices, radicchio, fennel, hazelnuts, currants and pomegranate seeds in a bowl. Toss to combine.

dressing

• Make Dressing. Combine ingredients in a the bowl of a food processor or bowl if using an  immersion blender. Blend until combined.  

• Dress Salad. Add the dressing to the salad. Toss to coat all ingredients. Prepare 45 minutes -1 hour before service to allow salad to absorb the dressing. 

• Serve. Serve chilled.