Cicorie alla Griglia

EATALY MAGAZINE (June 16, 2017)

The perfect accompaniment to your summer cookout, this light but satisfying grilled salad features chicory topped with flavorful Italian pairings. The members of the chicory family – which includes escarole, endive, and radicchio – have a pleasantly bitter edge that can be tamed just enough by the heat of the grill and balanced by the drizzled balsamic vinegar, toasted pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano, and currants.

COURSE: Antipasto

DIFFICULTY: Easy

PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 head escarole, quartered
2 heads white endive, halved lengthwise
1 head Chioggia radicchio, quartered
¼ cup pine nuts
4-ounce piece Parmigiano Reggiano, preferably aged for 26 months
¼ cup currants
¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Toast the pine nuts in a skillet until fragrant and light brown, about 3 minutes, then set aside.

Prepare an outdoor grill, or heat a grill pan over high heat. In a large bowl, toss the escarole, endive, and radicchio with the olive oil. The greens should be generously coated in oil, so add more if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Place the greens on the preheated grill, cut-side down, and cook, without moving, until charred and slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Turn over, and cook the uncut sides just to soften, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the greens directly from the grill to individual serving plates. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the toasted pine nuts and 1 tablespoon currants over each. Shave the Parmigiano Reggiano over the salad (chef’s tip: use a vegetable peeler for larger, even pieces). Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and serve.

Buon appetito!

[2]

This recipe was first published courtesy of Eataly Magazine [3].