Grapefruit-and-Escarole Salad

Chef Jennifer Jasinski tops this excellent winter salad with goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and pomegranate seeds.

Grapefruit-and-Escarole Salad
Photo: © Christina Holmes
Total Time:
45 mins
Yield:
6 to 8 serves
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed

  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup honey

  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1/4 cup minced shallots

  • 2 teaspoons minced rosemary

  • Kosher salt

  • Pepper

  • 3 Ruby Red grapefruits

  • 1 fennel bulb—cored, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced

  • 1 head of escarole, white and light green leaves only, chopped

  • 1 cup basil leaves, chopped

  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

  • 6 ounces bloomy rind goat cheese, cut into small pieces

  • 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

  1. In a skillet, toast the fennel seeds over moderate heat, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cook over moderate heat until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Whisk in the honey. Remove from the heat. Slowly whisk in the oil until combined. Stir in the shallots and rosemary and season with salt and pepper.

  2. Using a sharp knife, remove the skin and white pith from the grapefruits. Working over a large bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections; discard the membranes. Add the sliced fennel, escarole, basil and 1 cup of the fennel dressing, season with salt and pepper and toss. Mound the salad on plates and top with the pomegranate seeds, goat cheese and walnuts. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.

Make Ahead

The dressing can be refrigerated overnight

Originally appeared: December 2014

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