It has been a very long time since I did a Salad on Sundays post. But I have recently learned that taking a break, and a step back is so important for me. I got lost in the hustle of life towards the end of last year and needed some time to evaluate how to accomplish what I wanted, when I wanted. Nothing like a good old fashioned month of January to bump my ass back into gear. So, in honor of getting it back into it AND of the colors of February, I created this Winter Salad with Radicchio and Rosé Citrus Vinaigrette. It’s really quite simple (I typed that in a British accent). Grab any fruit or vegetable that’s red and put it together to make a salad. Yep. Well, now it’s no longer Britishly classy but whatever. It’s delicious.

Also pictured this post is the delicious, easy mushroom soup recipe topped with truffle croutons. Yum.

SALAD SERVING ESSENTIALS

Recent News from The House of Perez

Other than life itself (two small children, full-time job, wifey), I’ll fill you in on a couple of things that have been keeping us busy. After going back and forth several times on whether or not we should build a new house or renovate, we finally decided that we would renovate. We found a house with really good bones and the layout we’re after. The list of renovations is long but about 95% cosmetic. The house was built in the 80’s, so the very first task is to remove the remainder of the pop corn ceilings. We might take a wall out to further open up the dining and kitchen area. But from there, we will make our way through the house (slowly but surely) updating it to our dream home.

Outside of researching seasonal eating, veganism and the pegan diet (what?? It’s a thing?) I have been spending most of my screen time scrolling through Pinterest to find inspiration on living and dining spaces. A lot of our budget will initially be spent there, bringing those main spaces up-to-date. Please leave any renovation advice and your favorite resources in the comments below. I’m totally geeking out on the subject matter right now. So scroll to the bottom and boss me around a bit.

What is Radicchio?

Now to the recipe. Let’s start with how to pronounce the main ingredient: rah-dee-key-oh, not rah-dee-che-oh. And it’s actually not a cabbage, even though it looks just like it. Radicchio is a type of chicory – an Italian type – with deep reddish-purple leaves that form around a small head – when compared to cabbage. You can prepare radicchio the same way as cabbage. Cooking it is the most effective way to mellow out it’s distinctive bitter taste. Or, balance it out by pairing it with something sweet or fatty.

When is Radicchio in Season?

This bitter, leafy vegetable is available year round. But, if you really embrace cooking and eating seasonal ingredients, it’s peak season is mid-winter to early spring.

Making a Winter Salad with Radicchio

In order to cut back on the bitterness of the radicchio, paired it with really sweet fruits (blackberry, pear, pomegranate) to create balance in the salad. The combination is beautiful when the fruit mixes with the natural spiciness from the radicchio leaves. A little added creaminess from the goat cheese gives each bite the perfect finish. Fruit is sparse through the winter months, so if you want to stick to seasonal ingredients try adding blood orange slices and beets with the pomegranate arils and pears in place of the blackberry. That would make the ultimate winter salad.

The Vinaigrette Recipe

Because of the bittery bite from the radicchio, I brought in sweet flavors wherever I could. Rosé vinegar is light, but sweet compared to other wine vinegars. To bring in a fruity flavor to go with the salad ingredients, I brought in blood orange juice, which pairs really well with a lighter, sweeter vinegar that mask the that amazing winter citrus flavor. Making vinaigrette is so simple and the flavors are much more fresh. For more homemade vinaigrette recipes, check out this honey vinaigrette and champagne vinaigrette from a couple summer salad posts from last year.

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