Sicilian Harvest Salad

Submitted by MsPia

"The sweetness of fruit balances bitter radicchio. But if you are not a radicchio lover, you can use some other crispy and maybe not so bitter greens. (well...radicchio is not green, but you know what I mean.)"

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup raisins
• boiling water
• 1 cup large seedless grapes, halved
• 1 tablespoon dried apricot, diced (1/4-inch dice)
• 1⁄4 large red onion, cut into small slivers
• 1 large lemon, juice of
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (3/4 lb) radicchio
• 2 cups Baby Spinach, loosely packed
• 12 slices prosciutto (thin slices)
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

• Fried Rosemary (use 1 1/2 tablespoons)

• rosemary sprig
• oil, for frying

directions

1. Put the raisins in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let stand until plump and soft, about 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Put the raisins, grapes, apricots, rosemary and onion in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Separate the radicchio into leaves, saving the heart for another use.
4. Tear into bite size pieces and add to the dried fruit mixture along with the spinach. Toss well. Divide among 4 plates and top with the prosciutto.
5. Scatter the pine nuts over the top.
6. Frying rosemary on the branch removes its slightly soapy, bitter flavor so you can use more. Heat 1-inch oil in a deep saute pan to 350 degrees F. Deep-fry the rosemary for 30 seconds and drain on paper towels. Strip the leaves off the stems and crush the leaves in the paper towels to remove any excess oil. Mince and store in a clean, tightly sealed container. Use the fried rosemary to make a seasoned salt by adding it to a mixture of black pepper, dried lemon zest and salt.

Reviews

[Merlot]

What a wonderful salad! I used part radicchio and part spring greens. We loved the sweetness of the fruit, the saltiness of the prosciutto and the toasted crunch of the pine nuts. This salad will definitely please your family and guestes. Thanks for sharing this winner, MsPia.

 

[Ameliahead]

I saw this recipe on Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello and made it a while ago. I liked it, but all that radicchio is pretty bitter, so if not a fan of bitter "greens," definitely substitute. I left out the prosciutto, being a vegetarian, so maybe it is even better with it if you eat meat.