Ingredients:
for the salad:
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2 heads radicchio, halved and peeled into large pieces
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1 cup of toasted hazelnuts
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2 mandarins
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extra virgin olive oil, for finishing
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Maldon salt
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freshly cracked black pepper
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a LOT of manchego, for serving
for the honey shallot vinaigrette:
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1 shallot, minced
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2 tablespoons honey
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4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
prepare the radicchio by slicing it in half and peeling it into large pieces, then submerge it in bowls of ice water to soak (10 mins) - this helps reduce the bitterness and also keeps it crisp.
prepare your vinaigrette by combining the minced shallot, honey, red wine vinegar, a generous seasoning of salt and pepper, and olive oil in a mason jar. seal the jar tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is well emulsified.
prepare the mandarins by slicing off their tops and bottoms, then remove the peel. cut them into thin rounds. once the hazelnuts are toasted, let them cool slightly before roughly chopping.
remove the radicchio from its ice bath, lay the leaves out on a clean kitchen towel, and pat dry (or dry in a salad spinner). to serve, arrange a layer of dried radicchio leaves on a platter (starting with the bigger ones on the bottom), drizzle generously with the honey shallot vinaigrette, then layer in the mandarin rounds, manchego, and chopped hazelnuts. continue layering until you run out of ingredients. finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of Maldon salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. finish with a GENEROUS amount of manchego, peeled into thin slices. serve with extra dressing on the side for dipping and dunking.