Endive Roquefort Salad - Photo by Philippe Touitou
Here’s an easy and appealing salad for the cooler weather. This is a salad that works well with many different combinations of ingredients. You can substitute Chevre if you prefer, or a different kind of cheese. You could also add some dried cranberries or some apples (or both) to give some extra color and flavor. And you could use a different kind of nut (I like pecans or pistachios).
Unlike many salads this one goes well with a glass of red or white wine due to the roquefort cheese.
I’m not bothering to give you a traditional recipe here since this is a pretty simple dish. I’ll give you an easy Dijon Vinaigrette recipe (following a traditional 3 parts oil: 1 part vinegar ratio). I’ll throw in a couple pointers on putting the salad together, then you’re on your own so have fun making some interesting combinations!!
Dijon Vinaigrette:
Makes 2 1/4 cups
4 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar (preferably imported)
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
1 cup Vegetable Oil (replace 1/4 cup veg. oil with walnut oil if desired)
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Water as needed to thin
Method – In a blender combine mustard and vinegars. Drizzle in oils until blended. Season with salt and pepper, add water to thin if needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
For assembling the salad:
Cut your endive into julienne strips or crosswise as desired. Toss with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discoloring. Add vinaigrette (not too much) and cheese. Toss well and garnish with walnuts.
