Bitter Greens Salad With Spiced Pecans And Persimmons
This recipe combines the sweet and nutty flavors of spiced pecans with fresh persimmons, dressed with a delightful Champagne vinegar and olive oil dressing. Tossed with a mix of bitter salad greens and topped with curls of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this salad is a harmonious blend of textures and tastes that will surely impress your dinner guests.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 4 Fuyu persimmons
- 2 Tbs. Champagne vinegar
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
- 1/4 lbs. mixed bitter salad greens, such as radicchio, arugula, escarole and frisée
- 3 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, at room temperature
Instructions
- In a heavy fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the cumin, cinnamon and cayenne and stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and a scant 1/4 tsp. salt, stir well and then add the pecans. Cook the pecans, stirring often, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Let the spiced pecans cool completely.
- Cut the persimmons in half lengthwise, trim off the stem ends and cut the halves into thin slices.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil and mayonnaise until well blended to make a dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the salad greens in a bowl, drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Add the persimmons and spiced pecans to the bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, shave curls of the cheese into the bowl and toss gently. Divide the salad among chilled plates and serve immediately. Serves 8.
- Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>New Flavors for Appetizers,</i> by Amy Sherman (Oxmoor House, 2008).
Yield
Serves 8.
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