We just returned to Toronto where almost any type of ingredient is readily available and while grocery shopping recently we made a great find. Although radicchio lettuce is now found in many produce stores, one normally only finds radicchio di Chioggia, which is maroon, round, and about the size of a grapefruit, or radicchio di Treviso, which resembles a large Belgian endive.
We were very surprised to find a very rare type of radicchio called radicchio di Castelfranco, which is a ruffled variety that is creamy white in color with burgundy flecks. This rare variety is a little milder than the more common varieties but still has a slightly bitter taste.
We were so excited by our new find that we bought a head of Castelfranco, one of Treviso, and a red leaf lettuce to balance out the salad and created this recipe. I decided to add roasted beets to the salad which are naturally sweet, and dressed the salad with a zesty orange vinaigrette to cut just a little of the bitterness of the lettuce.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Bitter Greens Salad With Roasted Beets And Orange Vinaigrette
Serves 4 – 6
25 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 25 minutes
Sweet roasted beets balance out the bitter greens in this winter salad perfectly.
Ingredients
- 1 Head Racchicio di Treviso
- 1 Head Radicchio di Castelfranco
- 1 Head Red Leaf Lettuce
- 4 Green Onions
- 4 Medium Beets
- 1/4 Cups Olive Oil
- 5 Tablespoons Orange Juice
- Zest of 1/2 Orange
- Sea Salt
- Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Wash the beets, remove the stems, place the beets in a casserole dish, and bake until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.
- Allow to cool.
- Remove the stems and tear the lettuce into two to three inch pieces.
- Place the lettuce in ice water for 15 minutes, drain, and place in a salad spinner to remove all traces of liquid.
- Peel the beets, and cut into 1 inch dice.
- Set aside.
- Chop the green onions.
- Mix together the olive oil, orange juice and zest, and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Place the lettuce in a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over top, then toss lightly to coat all of the leaves.
- Arrange the dressed leaves on four individual plates.
- Arrange the beets and onions on each plate and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 2 cups
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 180Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 209mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 8gProtein: 3g
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