Salade d'Hiver

A traditional French-style salad featuring California Endive and ripe winter pears

Contributor: Richard Collins, President, California Vegetable Specialties

Rich traveled extensively in Europe while learning how to farm endive, and picked up some classic European recipes for endive along the way. This simple salad takes advantage of some of the best fruit that winter has to offer - Comice or Anjou pears. "With only four ingredients, and an equally simple dressing," Rich comments, "this little treat makes a delightful light luncheon salad to accompany a nice hot soup, and also makes a delicious starter for evening supper."

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Dressing Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ½ cup canola or safflower oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 shallot or garlic clove, finely chopped

Dressing Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until emulsified.

Salad Ingredients

• 1 pound white California Endive
• 8 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (Point Reyes Original Blue, Stilton, or Gorgonzola)
• 1 ripe Comice or Anjou pear
• 4 teaspoons chopped roasted walnuts

Salad Instructions

1. Trim the endive and separate it into leaves. Divide the leaves equally among four dinner-size plates.
2. Core and quarter the pear, then cut it lengthwise into long, thin strips.
3. Top each plate of endive leaves with the cheese, walnuts, and pear slices.
4. Immediately dress the salad and serve. Serves 4.

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