Life has been very, very busy around here, and we’ve been eating very fast, easy, unadventurous things. We’ve also eaten out a lot more, which has been a nice change of pace during this busy season. Last weekend, we went to Martin’s West, one of very favorite local places, where I had an escarole and persimmon salad with walnuts, apples, and andante cheddar cheese. It was spectacular. So, last night, I recreated it at home with what I had on hand. This is not as good or magical as the version at the restaurant, but it is an excellent winter salad. We ate it, in the spirit of Mark Bittman, with grilled raddichio, alongside a quickly seared tuna topped with capers and the broccoli romanesco left over from the kids’ dinner.
Escarole & Persimmon Salad
- escarole
- sliced persimmon
- walnuts
- Comte cheese (or, ideally, Andante cheddar)
- olive oil
- white balsamic vinegar
- Toast the walnuts lightly in a 350 degree oven until fragrant.
- Layer persimmon slices over the escarole, shave thin slices of the cheese with a vegetable peeler.
- Sprinkle with toasted walnuts.
- Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Dress with olive oil and white balsamic vinegar.