Puntarelle With Anchovy Dressing Recipes

PUNTARELLE WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Add the frisée and endive and chill for 30 minutes or so.
• In a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic and anchovies until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the vinegar.
• When ready to serve, drain and dry the greens and place in a large bowl. Pour a tablespoon or two of olive oil over the greens and season with pepper. Toss until lightly coated. Divide among four shallow bowls. Serve each with a spoonful of the anchovy mixture dolloped on top, or simply leave the mixture in the spoon set on top of the salad. Each person should mix his or her own salad, using a fork and spoon.

RADICCHIO & PUNTARELLE SALAD WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING

Steps:

• To make the dressing, heat a little of the oil in a pan and cook the garlic briefly (don't let it brown). Tip into a blender with the other ingredients and the remaining oil, and blitz to a smooth dressing.
• Pull the stalks off the puntarelle to find the core and cut the individual bulbs into thin shreds. Put straight into ice-cold water to soak for 1 hr. Drain well, then toss with the radicchio and anchovy dressing.

PUNTARELLE SALAD WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING

Steps:

• Use all of the puntarelle-the leaves and the heart. Slice the heart lengthwise in very narrow pieces, then soak in ice water until leaves become curly. To make the dressing, smash together the garlic and the anchovies with a little pepper and enough vinegar to cover the anchovies. (Use plenty of anchovies and garlic if you want a strong taste of these. If you don't like either one, stay away from this recipe.) Now add an equal amount of olive oil and beat well until you have a thick infusion and the oil and vinegar are no longer separated. Put the dressing in the bottom of a salad bowl, add the puntarelle, and mix. Serve with lots of bread on the side to dip into the dressing.

CELERY, RADISHES, AND ENDIVE WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING

Steps:

• Cut celery ribs crosswise into thirds. Beginning at 1 end of each piece of celery, make lengthwise cuts about 1/8 inch apart, cutting through to cutting board and stopping 1/4 inch from other end (so that pieces stay whole). Transfer as cut to a bowl of ice and cold water.
• Trim stem end of each radish to create a flat surface. Stand 1 radish stem-end down and make vertical cuts at 1/8-inch intervals into (but not all the way through) radish, stopping about 1/4 inch above stem end. Rotate radish 90 degrees and make vertical cuts in same manner to form a crosshatch pattern, keeping radish intact. Transfer to ice water. Repeat with remaining radishes.
• Chill celery and radishes, covered in ice water, until ends of celery curl, at least 1 hour.
• Trim endive and separate leaves. Keep chilled, covered, until ready to serve.
• Mash anchovies and garlic to a paste with salt and pepper using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large heavy knife and transfer to a bowl). Stir in vinegar with pestle (or a whisk), then add oil in a slow stream, stirring (or whisking) vigorously until dressing is emulsified.
• Drain celery and radishes and pat dry. Serve vegetables with individual ramekins of dressing for dipping.
• *Puntarelle is available by mail order from Lucio Gomiero's European Vegetable Specialties Farms, radicchio.com.