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Radicchio and Watercress Salad with Warm Fennel and Walnut Dressing

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 6

Radicchio and Watercress Salad with Warm Fennel and Walnut Dressing

Ingredients

1 large clove garlic, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 small lemon2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar¼ teaspoon table salt ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup walnuts, chopped coarse1 medium bulb fennel (about 10 ounces), stems, fronds, and base trimmed; bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 cups)2 - 3 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 tablespoon)3 large bunches watercress, washed, dried, and stemmed (about 6 ½ cups, loosely packed)1 medium head radicchio, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 ½ cups, loosely packed)1 small chunk Parmesan cheese (about 1 ½ ounces), shaved into thin strips with a vegetable peeler

Instructions

  1. Whisk garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in small bowl; gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil until dressing is smooth and emulsified; set aside.
  2. Heat walnuts in remaining 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add fennel and cook until it just begins to soften and turns a very light golden, about 3 minutes longer. Stir anchovy fillets into fennel mixture and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Whisk dressing to re-blend and, off heat, stir into fennel mixture to distribute evenly.
  3. Toss greens and warm dressing mixture to coat in large mixing bowl. Divide dressed greens among 6 serving plates, sprinkle with a portion of shaved Parmesan, and serve immediately.
Radicchio and Watercress Salad with Warm Fennel and Walnut Dressing

Radicchio and Watercress Salad with Warm Fennel and Walnut Dressing

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

25 minutes

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 large clove garlic, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup walnuts, chopped coarse
1 medium bulb fennel (about 10 ounces), stems, fronds, and base trimmed; bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 cups)
2 - 3 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 large bunches watercress, washed, dried, and stemmed (about 6 ½ cups, loosely packed)
1 medium head radicchio, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 ½ cups, loosely packed)
1 small chunk Parmesan cheese (about 1 ½ ounces), shaved into thin strips with a vegetable peeler

Ingredients

1 large clove garlic, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup walnuts, chopped coarse
1 medium bulb fennel (about 10 ounces), stems, fronds, and base trimmed; bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 cups)
2 - 3 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 large bunches watercress, washed, dried, and stemmed (about 6 ½ cups, loosely packed)
1 medium head radicchio, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 ½ cups, loosely packed)
1 small chunk Parmesan cheese (about 1 ½ ounces), shaved into thin strips with a vegetable peeler

Ingredients

1 large clove garlic, minced (about 1 ½ teaspoons)
1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup walnuts, chopped coarse
1 medium bulb fennel (about 10 ounces), stems, fronds, and base trimmed; bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 cups)
2 - 3 anchovy fillets, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 large bunches watercress, washed, dried, and stemmed (about 6 ½ cups, loosely packed)
1 medium head radicchio, washed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 ½ cups, loosely packed)
1 small chunk Parmesan cheese (about 1 ½ ounces), shaved into thin strips with a vegetable peeler

Why This Recipe Works

The secret to a warm winter salad recipe was to use greens with hardy textures and assertive flavors. The crisp texture of greens such as escarole, radicchio, arugula, and watercress could withstand a dousing with warm dressing or the addition of a hot ingredient without becoming so wilted that they were no longer a pleasure to eat.

Instructions

  1. Whisk garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper in small bowl; gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil until dressing is smooth and emulsified; set aside.
  2. Heat walnuts in remaining 1 tablespoon oil in medium skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add fennel and cook until it just begins to soften and turns a very light golden, about 3 minutes longer. Stir anchovy fillets into fennel mixture and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Whisk dressing to re-blend and, off heat, stir into fennel mixture to distribute evenly.
  3. Toss greens and warm dressing mixture to coat in large mixing bowl. Divide dressed greens among 6 serving plates, sprinkle with a portion of shaved Parmesan, and serve immediately.

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