Name: Endive Salad with Oranges and Blue Cheese
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 oranges , divided; ½ red onion , sliced thin; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; ½ teaspoon table salt , divided; 1 tablespoon honey; 2 ounces blue cheese , crumbled (½ cup); ½ cup walnuts , toasted and chopped coarse; 4 heads Belgian endive (4 ounces each), root end trimmed and leaves separated; ¼ teaspoon pepper

Why This Recipe Works

A salad centered on beautiful heads of Belgian endive calls for ingredients such as fruit, nuts, and cheese to complement and mellow the endive's slight bitterness. To that aim, we combined the endive with blue cheese and oranges for an elegant plated winter salad. We tossed the blue cheese with a combination of sweet honey and citrusy orange juice and zest—the tangy-sweet punch of the citrus nicely balanced the funk of the creamy blue cheese. We marinated red onion with orange segments and a splash of red wine vinegar and used this mixture as a dressing for the endive.

Before You Begin

Toast the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350-degree oven until they're fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes.

Instructions

Using rasp-style grater, grate 1½ teaspoons zest from 1 orange; transfer zest to medium bowl. Cut away peel and pith from both oranges. Holding fruit over large bowl, use paring knife to slice between membranes to release segments. Squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from orange membranes and add to bowl with zest; set aside.

Add onion, 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon salt to large bowl with orange segments and toss to combine. Let stand for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Meanwhile, whisk honey and remaining 1 tablespoon oil into orange zest mixture. Add blue cheese and walnuts and toss gently to combine.

Add endive, pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to orange segment mixture; toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving platter. Spoon walnut mixture evenly over salad. Serve.