Chicory Season
I wait all year to eat these bitter greens
It’s been way too long since I’ve logged onto Substack and shared a recipe. I added too much to my plate this year, our event calendar was full and there is only one of me (much to my dismay). So my plan for how to manage Substack going forward (because I think about content for this page constantly) while I run another business, is to commit to two monthly columns. A round-up of what I’ve been cooking, and a “Bite-Sized” post of what I’ve been wearing, eating and places I’m traveling to. Comment below if you have opinions!
Decor
Fall can get a bit kitschy with decor, so I try and skip past a lot of the more expected styling elements like gourds and squash (save those for cooking) and use more unexpected botanicals and branches, then play with colors and textures from more practical investment items like tabletop which can be transformed season after season.
For splurge: I love these candlesticks from RW Guild, I collected a Silver and Matte Black set over the past three years, and a great thing to add to your Christmas list! You will also need these tiny tapers once you’ve secured your set.
For chic, everyday: one of my go-to brands Fable, and they are doing a major sale this month, details below.
Some of my can’t-live-without products from Fable are: Matte Black Flatware, Wine Glasses, and this Ceramic Serverware Set.
CODE: OLIVIAMUNIAK for an extra discount!
Sale Details:
Week 1 (Nov 1st-7th): 35% off Stemware 🍷
Gift with Purchase: Glass Carafe
Perfect for elevating holiday toasts and table settings!
Week 2 (Nov 8th-14th): 35% off Dinnerware 🍽️
Gift with Purchase: The Mugs (Speckled White)
Perfect for cozy mornings or holiday gatherings!
Week 3 (Nov 15th-21st): 35% off Serveware 🎁
Gift with Purchase: The Vase (Speckled White)
Perfect for displaying fresh holiday florals!
Chicories
Back to the main topic: chicories are my all-star ingredient come fall. I layer these bitter greens into salads, roasted on the grill, or sautéed into pastas and vegetables. Chicories can be found in many varietals, in season Whole Foods or similar will maybe have a few kinds available, but the farmers market is where you’ll find me hunting for them. I enjoyed this article on NYTimes about said vegetable.
Chicories are my all-star ingredient come fall. Radicchio is bitter so you need creamy dressings, or cheeses to balance, and the sweetness from peak-season sliced fruit does the same.
Chicory Salad
For this recipe I used two varietals “Bel Fiore” and “Treviso” Radicchio, the shapes, textures and flavors differ so mixing them not only looks V V impressive, its tastes damn good. Radicchio is bitter so you need creamy dressings, or cheeses to balance, and the sweetness from peak-season sliced fruit like Pears, Persimmon, Apples or Dates does the same.
No salad or vegetable is complete (IMHO) without some toasted nuts and either fresh herbs to finish, or some sort of herby, salsa verde. It’s the chef’s touch that will change your at-home cooking game.
When toasting nuts be sure to roast them with a bit of Olive Oil (or its native oil) with a pinch of salt because it enhances the flavor and aids in getting a perfectly toasted nut.
Recipe
Chicory Salad with Yogurt Dressing
serves 4-6
Ingredients: salad
2-3 heads of Radicchio: Treviso and Bel-Fiore
1 peak-season fruit: Asian Pear, Persimmon or Pink-Lady Apple
Toasted Nuts: hazelnuts, pine nuts, walnuts
Pecorino Cheese
Fresh tarragon leaves
Ingredients: dressing
¼ c Skyr Yogurt
¼ c Acid League Meyer Lemon Vinegar
½ c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ c Algae Oil
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 clove garlic, grated on microplane
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Method
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the yogurt, garlic, vinegar, mustard and salt first. Then slowly whisk in the oils, pausing occasionally to ensure the ingredients are creating an emulsion. Adjust salt and vinegar to taste.
Toast the nuts with a bit of oil and salt in a fry pan or in the oven. Allow to cool and then roughly chop, set aside.
Chop the heads of the radicchio off (wash & dry) and then place the whole leaves into a large mixing bowl. Toss with the dressing to taste, and sprinkle with flaky salt and fresh pepper. Arrange the leaves onto a serving bowl or platter. Shave the fruit into thin slivers on a mandolin, layer into the salad leaves. Garnish with shaved Pecorino cheese, toasted nuts, and fresh tarragon.
* Dressing Substitutions and Notes:
Siggi’s Skyr Yogurt: one of my favorite yogurts, creamy and delicious and very high in protein, second choice would be either Creme Fraiche or full-fat Greek Yogurt.
Algae Cooking Club Oil: this has replaced all my “neutral” cooking oils, it is not refined and has the best smoke-point of all the refined oils and it's actually good for you. I would recommend substituting with grapeseed oil in a pinch. ACC shares this code: OliviaM for a discount
Acid League Meyer Lemon Vinegar: I love this vinegar because it uses Meyer Lemon and Raw Honey in the vinegar, two ingredients that I would typically add when I’m using vinegar, so it just makes cooking faster! Substitutes would be Champagne Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar, and if substituting, I recommend adding a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of raw honey.