This chicory and potato salad with dolcelatte is one of those dishes where I’m not quite sure if it works or not. I loved it, my Wife hated it. So why not try it and let me know what you think?
The weather this past week has been fantastic, just right for experimenting with some salads. Chicory (otherwise known as endive) is a classic with blue cheese and walnuts, and this is basically just a beefed up version of the same flavours.
The potatoes are served hot; this has the effect of melting the cheese and combining it with the Dijon mustard creating a really distinctive dressing.
I’m a big fan of big flavours. What other ideas do you have for original salads?
Recipe comfortably serves two in man sized portions; four as a starter. Feel free to play around with the ingredients. This salad is also my entry to the great “Weekend Herb Blogging” being held over at Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska.
Chicory, Potato and Dolcelatte Salad Recipe - Ingredients
- 2 Heads of Chicory, leaves torn off
- Handful of boiled new potatoes per person (Jersey Royals or similar)
- 150g of Dolcelatte or similar blue cheese, diced
- 10 (ish) walnuts
- Good glug of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt and pepper to season
Chicory, Potato and Dolcelatte Salad Recipe - Method
(I’ll be honest with you here - there isn’t much method; its a salad, damnit. Have a play and see what happens)
- Throw the just boiled potatoes in a large bowl with the Dolcelatte. Mix around with your hands.
- Mix together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice and olive oil.
- Throw in the chicory leaves and coat with the dressing. Throw around some more.
- Serve and sprinkle with the walnuts.
And if you’re in the mood to create some more salads make sure to check out our Seasonal Food Blogging challenge, “In The Bag“!
May 12th, 2008 at 12:16 am
Great recipe. Melted gorgonzola and mustard dressing with potatoes is such a great combination. I think I’ll have to make this with dandelions…my mouth is watering just thinking of it.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:59 am
I think it sounds good, although I’ve only had chicory in coffee (in New Orleans, where it’s a required ingredient for coffee!) I’m guessing it’s a kind of strong flavored greens?
May 12th, 2008 at 5:15 am
That is a gorgeous looking salad.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Laurie Constantino: With dandelions sounds great - I love a bit of free hedgerow food!
Kalyn: It’s the root that’s used for coffee. The leaves are crunchy and bitter but really taste great.
peabody: Thankyou very much indeed!
May 12th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Mmmm, we love big flavors, too. Bitter greens, blue cheese, walnuts and a mustardy dressing with new potatoes sounds delish for a main course salad!
May 12th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
manju: So I see from your blog (which is great by the way). Main course salads are great in this hot, humid weather!
May 13th, 2008 at 1:10 am
“I’ll be honest with you here - there isn’t much method; its a salad, damnit. Have a play and see what happens.” I love this part, Scott. It’s so true, isn’t it? Sometimes I feel silly writing, “5 cups of mesclun” and 1/2 cup “chopped tomatoes. As for the flavors, I can’t find a flaw with blue cheese and Dijon dressing. I also like chicory or frisee with sweet toppings like strawberries and a lemon-honey dressing. Or in the fall, fresh figs, walnuts, and oranges.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:50 am
A restaurant I used to work in, had an amazing salad on the menu featuring witlof (chicory/endive), seared scallops, hazelnuts, hazelnut vinaigrette and blue cheese. I get a pavlov’s dog response just thinking about it. So, just from your ingredients alone, I can tell I would definitely love that salad of yours.
May 13th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Great flavour combinations. I particularly love the way you’ve left the potatoes whole. I’m imagining cutting into one and dipping the fluffy insides into the melting cheese. Mmmm delicious!
May 13th, 2008 at 8:42 am
haha! I think I would personally love it!
I shall be participating in the event this month- fortunately, I already have been experimenting with asparagus! Thanks for stopping over.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:57 am
oooooh. this looks gooood.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Y: I’ve honestly never heard of the expression “a pavlov’s dog response” - please enlighten me? Sounds like a great restaurant though!
Christie @ fig&cherry: The potatoes seemed to pretty well taste of the cheesy dressing anyway, so no dipping necessary. I think I went a bit overboard with the cheese when I made it and used a full block!
Pixie: I’m looking forward to seeing your entry. It’s so hard to resist fresh asparagus!
Anna: Thanks. It was - at least in my opinion!
May 14th, 2008 at 12:17 am
I’m not exactly an expert on this, but basically, Pavlov was a scientist who is probably most known for his experiments on the “conditioned reflex”. He did studies whereby he would ring a bell before feeding the dogs he was studying and soon the dogs were conditioned such that they would salivate every time they heard the bell even when there was no food around. The reaction was something the mind had learned to do automatically.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Scott, I love this salad
I haven’t eat chicory since I left Poland…
I will look for it, thank you for reminding me…
I love the new look of the blog by the way
Margot
May 14th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Y: Well, thanks for that. I guess I had heard something about it as it seems to ring a few bells…
Coffee and Vanilla: I haven’t seen chicory in Poland before - but then I’ve not looked for it either. Thanks for the compliment, I like the new look too!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:41 am
perfect - this will be what i shall try to make this saturday when i head over to my friend’s for dinner, yay!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
I’m curious as to what your wife didn’t like about it. the only thing that i can see is one of 2 things: 1)chicory’s flavor and/or texture is too strong for her liking or 2) the potatoes temperature wilted everything (good for some, unless you were in the mood for a crispy salad)…
i think the recipe looks lovely!
May 15th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Lil: Well its simple and easy - so why not? I’m sure you’ll love it.
We Are Never Full: Well, I think its that the whole blue cheese taste was a bit overpowering (for me dolcelatte is a milder variety!). The potatoes didn’t make the rest of the salad wilt actually; chicory is a quite robust and chunky leaf and didn’t seam to really be affected by the heat of the potatoes. Still, they were hot but not “piping hot” so that will have made a difference too.
May 19th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
i’m sure it tastes as gd as it looks! nice.
May 19th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
diva@theSugarBar: Well there’s only one way to find out - try it and see
May 20th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I’m a bit of a latecomer to the endive - but now I’m sold. I also love using baby leaves as “boats” in which to serve dips. This salad sounds wonderful with its contrasting tastes and textures, although I could imagine the flavours might be too bold for some… And I agree with you & Susan - there isn’t realyl a recipe for most salads, but you kind of feel compelled to put down SOME description of the method you followed heh heh!