Chicory Salad with Anchovy Vinaigrette and Torn Croutons
Thomas J. Story
The bold flavor of chicories can stand up to the punchy, garlicky, funky, briny vinaigrette. “Hands-down, my favorite rendition of a Caesar salad,” says Sonoma County chef Kelly Mariani.
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “You’ll Want to Make These Pink (Yes, Pink) Salads All Autumn Long.”
How to Make It
1
Make the Vinaigrette: Pound the garlic to a paste with a mortar and pestle. Add anchovies and pound again. Add the mustard, vinegar, lemon, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the olive oil and taste. Adjust seasoning as you wish.
2
Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 325°F. Use your hands to tear the bread into bite-size pieces and place them in a mixing bowl. Drizzle the bread with a generous amount of olive oil, about 1⁄2 cup, a pinch of salt and some black pepper, and toss it around until fully coated. Lay the croutons out on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake them for about 20 minutes, checking and rotating them halfway through.
3
Assemble the salad: Toss chicories with salt and pepper, a few tablespoons of vinaigrette, a big handful of Parmesan, and the torn croutons.
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic
10 small anchovy filets
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar
juice of half a lemon
2 pinches kosher salt, plus more to taste
about 10 turns of black pepper in a grinder
¾ cup olive oil
For the Salad
½ day-old loaf of levain
½ cup (or more) olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
3 heads mixed chicories, torn
chunk of Parmesan, finely grated
Directions
1
Make the Vinaigrette: Pound the garlic to a paste with a mortar and pestle. Add anchovies and pound again. Add the mustard, vinegar, lemon, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the olive oil and taste. Adjust seasoning as you wish.
2
Make the croutons: Preheat oven to 325°F. Use your hands to tear the bread into bite-size pieces and place them in a mixing bowl. Drizzle the bread with a generous amount of olive oil, about 1⁄2 cup, a pinch of salt and some black pepper, and toss it around until fully coated. Lay the croutons out on a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake them for about 20 minutes, checking and rotating them halfway through.
3
Assemble the salad: Toss chicories with salt and pepper, a few tablespoons of vinaigrette, a big handful of Parmesan, and the torn croutons.
