I'm captivated by winter chicories. Tardivo and Treviso—with their tangled, tightly bundled, elongated leaves—are varieties that look like sea creatures. Castelfranco radicchio, with its delicate pink-flecked leaves, looks painterly, like a bouquet of peonies. This bold salty-sweet dressing and bitter chicories are flavor heavyweights; they stand up to and complement one another in this simple striking salad.

　　This recipe was excerpted from ‘Simple Pasta’ by Odette Williams. Buy the full book on Amazon. This book was selected as one of the best cookbooks of 2022.

　　

Ingredients

5 to 6 cups mixed winter chicories

　　3 anchovies, finely chopped

　　1 garlic clove, finely grated

　　1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt

　　2 Tbsp. lemon juice

　　2 tsp. Champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar

　　2 tsp. date molasses, brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup

　　1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

In cool water, wash the chicories, dry thoroughly in a clean dish towel or salad spinner, and then arrange in a large serving bowl.

　　

Step 2

In a mortar and pestle (or using the side of a large knife and a cutting board), mash the anchovies, garlic, and salt until they become a thick paste. Add the lemon juice, vinegar, and molasses and stir to combine. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.

　　

Step 3

Toss the chicories with the anchovy dressing, and finish with some cranks of pepper just before serving.

　　Tip:

　　If you don’t have date molasses but are lucky enough to have small, soft Barhi dates that taste like caramel, substitute 2 finely chopped dates for the 2 teaspoons date molasses.

　　Reprinted with permission from Simple Pasta by Odette Williams, copyright (c) 2022. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.