Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Warm Winter Salad

Sauteed radicchio, fennel and carrots are topped with chicken, walnuts and Gorgonzola in this warm and hearty main-dish salad. Serve with crusty whole-grain baguette.

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces  boneless, skinless chicken breast , trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
1   pear , sliced
1   small shallot , minced
3 tablespoons  sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons  Dijon mustard
1 small head  radicchio , thinly sliced
1   small fennel bulb , cored and thinly sliced
1   large carrot , cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon  chopped walnuts , toasted (see Tip)
1/8 teaspoon  salt , or to taste
1/8 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper , or to taste
6   large butter lettuce leaves
1/4 cup  crumbled Gorgonzola , or goat cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Poach chicken (see Tip). Use 2 forks to shred into bite-size pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Whisk shallot, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl; add to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the cooked chicken, radicchio, fennel, carrot and walnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Return the pears to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Divide lettuce leaves between 2 plates. Top with the warm chicken salad and sprinkle with cheese.

Tips:
To toast chopped walnuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
To poach chicken, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan and add lightly salted water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes.

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