Enough with the boring salads. We think salad can be fun, fresh, and interesting - even in Winter! We found an amazing pink variety of radicchio grown by our friend Carmel at Carriageworks Farmers Market. This delicious salad uses a little raisins and honey to help balance out the bitterness of this often overlooked leafy veg, although, we find this variety of radicchio is not anywhere near as bitter as the regular one you will find in supermarkets. It’s lovely! Paired with the savouriness of Mastro cheese and the nutty texture of pistachio, we think you’re going to absolutely love this one.
First things first, remove the Mastro from the fridge and out of it’s packaging minimum 2 hours before using, allowing it to come to room temperature.
Cut off the hard base of the radicchio and pop it in the compost. Gently rinse the radicchio leaves under cold running water, taking particular note to rinse down the base of the stalks where you will find most of the dirt then allow them to drain. Slice the radicchio leaves into pieces; we recommend slicing the more bitter stalks 2cm wide and the more tender leafy tops 4cm wide. Place into a salad dish to serve.
Now for the Mastro. The hard rind is edible but can be removed if you prefer. Cut it carefully into paper thin slices, then chop roughly through the slices into odd shapes and scatter over the top of the radicchio. Coarsely chop the pistachio and raisins (leave them quite chunky so there’s plenty of crunch and chew texture in each bite!) and scatter those on top also.
Finally, add the dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk together well to emulsify. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss. Enjoy with some good crusty bread or as a side dish to a gorgeous slow roast.
Vannella Cheese (Aust) Pty Ltd | 27-37 Cadogan St, Marrickville NSW 2204
P: (02) 8216 1828
M: 0430 077 866
