Charred Radicchio and Pear Salad

In the cooler months, I often turn to heartier fare like radicchio that give great crunch and big flavor—and this sturdier veg can stand up things like roasting and shredding. Charring the radicchio brings out some of the sweetness, which complements the delicate pear flavor. The addition of shards of salty feta, the crunch of pistachios, and a bright vibrant vinaigrette creates the perfect zingy bite that can stand up to the richness of other dishes at the dinner table. This salad is endlessly versatile—feel free to switch things up with apples and shards of salty pecorino.

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Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 large heads of radicchio
2 tsp olive oil
1 bosc pear
¼ cup golden raisins
2 oz feta, crumbled
¼ cup pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
2 tsp za’atar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Vinaigrette
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 450F.

Cut each head of radicchio into 8 wedges each with stems intact.

Place radicchio wedges cut sides down on a parchment lined sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast 8-10 minutes or until tender and leaves are starting to wrinkle and ends have a medium brown color.

For the vinaigrette, combine lemon, mustard, maple syrup and olive oil in small bowl and whisk until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Slice pear very thinly with a mandolin or with a very sharp knife and add to the bowl with the dressing along with raisins and toss gently (the acid from the dressing will stop the pears from browning and the raisins will absorb some of the vinaigrette and plump up).

To serve, arrange radicchio on a serving platter and top with pear, feta and pistachios. Drizzle with vinaigrette and finish with za’atar. Serve warm or at room temperature.