Red chicory salad with anchovy dressing
Serves: 6
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Stuart West
Red chicory salad with anchovy dressing
The dressing in this Italian-inspired salad shines a light on the underrated white balsamic vinegar, a much lighter alternative to darker balsamic, and is slightly sweet and not too acidic
Serves: 6
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
161Kcal
Fat
13gr
Saturates
2gr
Carbs
5gr
Sugars
3gr
Fibre
3gr
Protein
4gr
Salt
0.3gr
Theo Randall
Theo is chef patron of Theo Randall Cucina Italiana at the InterContinental London Park Lane, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this November. He’s also the author of six cookbooks – the latest, The Italian Table (Quadrille, £28), is out now.
Theo Randall
Theo is chef patron of Theo Randall Cucina Italiana at the InterContinental London Park Lane, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this November. He’s also the author of six cookbooks – the latest, The Italian Table (Quadrille, £28), is out now.
Ingredients
- 25g pine nuts
- 4 heads red chicory
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1 head romaine lettuce
For the dressing
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1 x 50g tin anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Step by step
- Start by making the dressing. Add the garlic to a mortar with a good pinch of salt, then crush to a fine paste using a pestle. Add the drained anchovies and grind down until the anchovies are a pulp. Add the white balsamic, mix, then slowly add the olive oil so the dressing is emulsified. Pour the dressing into a large salad bowl.
- Add the pine nuts to a dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat for a few minutes or until light golden-brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool slightly.
- Cut off the base of the chicory, then separate the leaves and place into a bowl of cold water. Dry in a salad spinner or blot gently with kitchen paper. Slice the fennel bulb as thinly as possible, using a mandoline if you have one. Cut the lettuce into 3cm pieces, then wash and dry like the chicory. Just before serving, add all the leaves to the salad bowl, along with the pine nuts, then toss together so everything is well-coated in the dressing. Season with salt and black pepper, if needed, and serve.
