Chicory, Orange and Walnut Salad with Blue Cheese
- Savory
- Light
- No cook
Bitter chicory leaves tossed with sweet orange segments, toasted walnuts and crumbled blue cheese, finished with a honey-mustard dressing. A light, savory salad with a sweet-salty edge.
- Total
- 17 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 2
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Emulsifying · Balancing with acid
Instructions
-
Separate the chicory leaves, discard any bruised outer ones, and tear or cut them into bite-sized pieces. Put them in a large salad bowl.
~4 min
-
Cut the peel and white pith from the oranges, then slice between the membranes to release the segments over a bowl, catching any juice.
~5 min
Cutting between the membranes removes the tough, bitter pith and keeps the segments neat, while the caught juice sweetens the dressing.
-
Roughly chop the walnuts and crumble the blue cheese into small pieces.
~3 min
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant, then cool them before adding: the warmth deepens their flavor and keeps the crunch against the soft cheese.
-
In a small bowl, whisk the honey, mustard, 2 tbsp olive oil, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper with 1 tbsp of the caught orange juice until the dressing is smooth and glossy.
~3 min
Whisking steadily disperses the honey and mustard into the oil so the dressing emulsifies into a smooth, glossy mixture that won't separate on the leaves.
Emulsifying Whisk constantly while adding the oil in a thin stream so it disperses into tiny droplets; the dressing should turn smooth and glossy, and if it looks greasy, whisk harder before adding more oil.
Balancing with acid Taste the dressing and adjust: the orange juice brings sweetness and acidity, so add a little more juice or salt until the honey no longer dominates.
-
Add the orange segments and walnuts to the chicory, pour over the dressing and toss gently to coat. Scatter the blue cheese on top and serve at once.
~2 min
Tossing gently and adding the blue cheese last keeps the delicate leaves from wilting and stops the soft cheese from smearing into the dressing.
