Mild radicchio combined with crispy fried mushrooms and pearl couscous over a smear of whipped ricotta completes this main meal winter salad.
I was at the Bloomfield Winter market and picked up some treats. Coldco Farm had multiple varieties of fabulous looking radicchio while Real Fungi had a good selection of foraged mushrooms from the pacific north west. I picked up some yellowfoot chanterelles, black trumpets and white hedgehog mushrooms (possibly Hydnum albidum). A quick internet search once I was home turned up a number of variations of this recipe.
Chop the shallot in to a fine dice, place in a small bowl and add 3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then add 5tbsp of olive oil and whisk together in to a dressing.
Next cook the pearl couscous. I used a box and followed the instructions. Briefly cook bring 1 3/4 cups of water to boil and add a tablespoon of olive oil and the couscous. Cook at a medium boil for 4 minutes with the lid off. turn down the heat and cook for another 4 or so minutes until the water has almost gone. Stir a couple of times during this process to prevent it sticking. Once the water is almost gone take the pan of the heat, add a teaspoon of the vinaigrette, stir and cover until ready to use.
Prepare the wild mushrooms by cleaning them and chopping into bite sized pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet and fry the mushrooms hard in a single layer but don't stir for a minute or two so that they start to crisp and caramelize. With wild mushrooms you will probably need to cook the mushrooms in two batches due to the amount of water that will come out of them. Once they have started to crisp up stir them to complete the cooking process. Once done to your liking take them out of the pan and start the second batch. When the second batch has cooked combine all the mushrooms in the pan turn the heat down and add 1tbsp of butter, 1 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs and 1tsp Balsamic Vinegar. Stir to met and in incorporate the butter and take of the heat.
Prepare the ricotta by whipping it with 1 tbsp of oil in a food processor. Spread the ricotta in a thin layer over the individual plates or a large serving platter.
Chop the radicchio into quarters length wise and then two or three times crosswise. Pull apart the chopped up radicchio, wash and dry. I used a salad spinner. In a large mixing bowl mix the radicchio with the remaining dressing. Add the pearl couscous and mushrooms and gently mix some more. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix one last time. Divide between the individual plates or pile onto the large serving platter. The salad can be served while the ingredients are still warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
Directions
Chop the shallot in to a fine dice, place in a small bowl and add 3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then add 5tbsp of olive oil and whisk together in to a dressing.
Next cook the pearl couscous. I used a box and followed the instructions. Briefly cook bring 1 3/4 cups of water to boil and add a tablespoon of olive oil and the couscous. Cook at a medium boil for 4 minutes with the lid off. turn down the heat and cook for another 4 or so minutes until the water has almost gone. Stir a couple of times during this process to prevent it sticking. Once the water is almost gone take the pan of the heat, add a teaspoon of the vinaigrette, stir and cover until ready to use.
Prepare the wild mushrooms by cleaning them and chopping into bite sized pieces. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a skillet and fry the mushrooms hard in a single layer but don't stir for a minute or two so that they start to crisp and caramelize. With wild mushrooms you will probably need to cook the mushrooms in two batches due to the amount of water that will come out of them. Once they have started to crisp up stir them to complete the cooking process. Once done to your liking take them out of the pan and start the second batch. When the second batch has cooked combine all the mushrooms in the pan turn the heat down and add 1tbsp of butter, 1 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs and 1tsp Balsamic Vinegar. Stir to met and in incorporate the butter and take of the heat.
Prepare the ricotta by whipping it with 1 tbsp of oil in a food processor. Spread the ricotta in a thin layer over the individual plates or a large serving platter.
Chop the radicchio into quarters length wise and then two or three times crosswise. Pull apart the chopped up radicchio, wash and dry. I used a salad spinner. In a large mixing bowl mix the radicchio with the remaining dressing. Add the pearl couscous and mushrooms and gently mix some more. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix one last time. Divide between the individual plates or pile onto the large serving platter. The salad can be served while the ingredients are still warm or at room temperature.
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