Salad Days: Radicchio Salad with Manchego and Pickled Onion Dressing

 

As of today, I am officially retired from Ford Motor Company after 31+ years with the company!  It's been a great run!   As a way to counteract my label as an old retiree, I am kicking off my "Salad Days" and am going to try to experiment with making as many salads as I can for a while.     First off is one I heard about first on Splendid Table.   It was a Radicchio salad with Manchego Vinaigrette from Toro Bravo.    Evidently, Toro Bravo was some kind of hipster Spanish restaurant in Portland which didn't survive the pandemic.    I gave it a shot, and came away with a couple modifications:

• The recipe recommended soaking the radicchio in ice water to reduce it's bitterness.   I did it, and it didn't seemed to be too reduced.    I won't bother next time and besides, I like the bitterness
• Also recommended was to soak onion and discard in the vinegar, I didn't find this all that necessary.   Next time, I will just make pickled onions in the dressing and add them to the salad
• Typical for my taste, the recipe has way too much oil to vinegar ratio.    I suggest changing it to at least 50/50 for a better taste
• Also, this salad needs a lot more salt than just a pinch.   Add more
• I had some daikon radish sprouts and I thought they were a good addition

Mother's Kitchen Radicchio Salad with Manchego and Pickled Onion Dressing 

For the pickled onion dressing

1 red onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup good-quality balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup good-quality sherry vinegar

2 heads radicchio, shredded

2 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

For the salad

2 heads radicchio, shredded

8 oz Manchego, finely grated

1 cup sprouts of your choice (I used daikon radish)

For the dressing:

Add all ingredients in a pint jar and shake.  Chill in fridge over night.

For the salad:

Mix cheese and radicchio in a big bowl, add pickled onions and dressing, toss to coat.   Top with some sprouts before serving.   But keep them separate and the salad itself will hold up for several days in the fridge because radicchio is very sturdy.   In fact, it's even better the next day!