Hidden Treasures Salad

Serves 8 to 10

Some salads are supporting actors; this salad is a star. It’s worth your attention and stomach space on a table full of other foods— yes, even (and especially) like Thanksgiving. I like to keep the farro, olive, and cheese treasures at the bottom of the serving bowl, with the leaves layered on the top for a fun surprise every time someone scoops. 

This recipe is flexible, so don’t get flustered if you don’t have both endives and radicchio or Castelfranco. Just one type of leaf is fine! Don’t have Parm? Swap in feta or even blue cheese. If you want to skip the nuts, go for it, but I’d strongly advise you keep the olives in. And, you could even add in a sweet element, like a dried cranberry, golden raisin, or sliced pear, if that’s your kind of thing.

INGREDIENTS

Big Night: Dinners, Parties, &Dinner Parties Katherine Lewin

• 1½ cups pearled farro

• 1¼ cups apple cider

• Kosher salt

• 2 small shallots, or 1 small red onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• ½ cup apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or red wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives

• ½ cup shelled pistachios, chopped (optional)

• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved

• 6 endives (preferably red-and-white Belgian endive)

• 2 small heads radicchio or Castelfranco radicchio (about 1½ pounds)

• 2 large or 3 small fennel bulbs, with stalks and fronds if possible (about 1½ pounds total)

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, combine the farro, 1 cup of the apple cider, 1 cup water, and 1½ teaspoons salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer and cook, adding more water as needed if the pot gets dry, until the farro is cooked through (it should be chewy but tender), 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool to room temperature, or transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

In a small bowl, combine the shallots, garlic, and vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in the mustard and remaining ¼ cup cider, then season with a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.

Gently crush the olives with the side of your knife and place in a medium bowl. Add the pistachios (if using), the cooked farro, the cheese, and ½ cup of the dressing. Toss to coat, then taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Set aside at room temperature for up to 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

Separate the endive leaves and place them in a large bowl. Slice the radicchio into wedges, cut out and discard the core, and separate the wedges into large pieces; add to the bowl. Trim the bottom of the fennel bulbs. Slice the stalks from the bulbs, then separate the delicate fronds from the stalks. Halve the bulbs lengthwise, then thinly slice. Thinly slice the stalks. Add all the sliced fennel to the bowl, reserving the fronds. Sprinkle a big pinch of salt over the endive mixture, gently tossing to season. Add the remaining dressing, toss to mix well, then taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Recipe reprinted from Big Night: Dinners, Parties, & Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin © 2024. Published by Union Square & Co. Photographs © Emma Fishman.

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