This salad, courtesy of St. Helena’s Clif Family Winery chef John McConnell, is inspired by the very trendy Roman pasta dish, spaghetti cacio e pepe, or cheese and pepper.
Here, McConnell got the genius idea to toss hot, roughly torn and toasted sourdough croutons with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and black pepper and let the cheese melt on contact. He serves them still warm on a bed of farm manager Tessa Henry’s pristine chicories, other bitter greens and sliced watermelon radishes.
The recipe, which is featured in Janet Fletcher’s new cookbook, “Gather: Casual Cooking from Wine Country Gardens” (Jennifer Barry Book Design LLC, $45) comes with cooking tips, like this one: After washing the chicories, McConnell suggests soaking them in ice water for 30 minutes, changing the water once to help crisp them. Spin dry and, if not using immediately, layer them with paper towels and refrigerate in a plastic bag.
Mixed Chicory Caesar with “Cacio e Pepe” Croutons
Serves 6
Creamy Anchovy Dressing:
½ cup mayonnaise
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
“Cacio e Pepe” Croutons:
½ sourdough baguette, torn into rough ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salad:
3 quarts torn mixed chicories and other bitter greens, such as radicchio, escarole, frisée, dandelion, puntarella and arugula
1 cup thinly sliced mixed radishes, including small daikon and watermelon radishes, if available
Chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for shaving
Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Make the croutons: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, toss the baguette pieces with the oil and pepper, then arrange them in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a bowl and, while they are still hot, toss them with the cheese.
Toss the chicories and radishes with enough of the dressing to coat lightly. Arrange attractively on a serving platter, then scatter the warm croutons on top. Using a vegetable peeler, shave a little Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Serve immediately.
— From Janet Fletcher’s “Gather: Casual Cooking from Wine Country Gardens” (Jennifer Barry Book Design LLC, $45)
