California Winter Salad

I’ve been a longtime believer that the best part about winter (anywhere) is citrus season. In New York, sumos and cara caras flood grocery stores and blood oranges pop up on trendy restaurant menus. But in California, not only does winter mean citrus season at the farmers market but it also means chicory season.

Chicories are a family of oftentimes bitter greens including radicchio, escarole and endive as well as lesser known varieties like castlefranco and rosalba. When these come into season, I love pairing them with pieces of fresh citrus, a creamy cheese, a toasty nut and a bright vinaigrette.

If I invite someone over to my house for a meal during winter, it’s nearly a guarantee that I’m serving this salad (IYKYK).

Ingredients

• 1 head chicory (radicchio, escarole, etc or a mix)

• 1 block goat’s milk feta

• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped

• 2-4 citrus, cut into segments (orange, mandarin, tangerine, etc)

• 1 ripe avocado, cut into slices

• 1/4 pickled red onion (optional)

• Handful of chopped herbs like parsley, dill or chives

• Vinaigrette (recipe below)

1. Tear greens, rinse and dry using a salad spinner (yes, you need a salad spinner!).

2. In a large bowl, crumble cheese on top of the greens. Add nuts, citrus and herbs.

3. Drizzle in vinaigrette to taste (start with 1/4 cup and add from there) and toss.

4. Add avocado slices on top at the end. Top with a few pinches of flaky sea salt. Serve.

Vinaigrette

• 1 orange

• 1 lemon

• 1 lime

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 3/4 cup olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Juice all of the fruit into a bowl. Whisk in the honey, vinegar, a big pinch of salt and a few twists of black pepper and red pepper flakes if using. Pour the olive oil in a slow stream, whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Makes about 1.5 cups of dressing - leftover dressing can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (if dressing congeals in the fridge, just run the jar under warm water and shake before using).

Note: If you’re in New York but craving these specialty seasonal chicories, check out Eataly or Campo Rosso Farm