Rosa del Veneto salad

Posted by petra08 on January 22, 2021 · 12 Comments 

Sometimes I see produce that I cant resist and when I came across a bag of Rosa del Veneto salad it was so pretty I couldn’t help myself. It is a type of Italian winter chicory, besides the beautiful pink hues the leaves are delicate and it is delicious. The chicory is grown in forcing sheds using an old technique to get the vibrant colour, flavour and the delicious texture.

In addition to the chicory I also picked up some baby aubergines and organic walnuts so I decided to make a salad.

When I grew up salad was mainly a side dish. It was made from iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber, with a dressing of some sort. I still like a side salad but today I wanted a big, generous, hearty salad bursting with flavor.

Rosa del Veneto salad

preparation time 10 minutes

cooking time 7-10 minutes, 15 minutes to roast the walnuts

oven 175C/350F

serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 head of Rosa de Veneto, rinsed and seperated
• 3 baby aubergines
• 2 dl 1 cup of shelled walnuts
• 1/4 red pepper, chopped fine
• 1/4 green pepper, chopped fine
• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 4 Brussels sprouts, raw, sliced fine
• 1 red chilli, sliced fine
• 1/4 red onion, chopped fine
• soy sauce
• sesame oil
• chilli oil
• rice wine vinegar
• rapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• a goof pinch of salt & pepper

Cut the aubergine in half and sprinkle a little salt and set aside for 10 minutes. If you are using larger aubergines slice them.

Place the walnuts on a tray and roast them in the oven for 15 minutes.

Seperate and wash the Rosa del Veneto leaves and set saide.

Slice the Brussels sprouts fine, chop peppers and red onion fine and mix in a bowl. Fillet the grapefruit and squeeze the juice over the chopped Brussels, peppers and onion. Add the pomegranate.

Rinse the salt off the aubergine and dry with kitchen towel and make incisions.

Mix soy sauce, chilli oil, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil and brush the cut side of the aubergine. Heat a griddle pan with some rapeseed oil and add the aubergine, cut side down when hot and leave it until you get a good char, about 5 minutes before turning them over. Cook them for a few more minutes. Brush them again with the soy sauce mixture and let cool.

Place the walnuts in a hot pan and add maple syrup salt and pepper. Make sure the walnuts are coated and set aside to cool.

Place the Rosa del Veneto in a salad bowl and add the aubergines, walnuts and a Brussels sprout and pepper mixture. Add a drizzle of the soy sauce mix and some olive oil before serving.

The walnuts gave the salad body and crunch, the aubergines had lots of flavor and the Rosa del Veneto added that chicory bitter sweet deliciousness. It is the kind of salad I would happily eat every day!

This week I am hapy to say I am co hosting the always fun and inspirational Fiesta Friday, hoested by the lovely Angie! My co host is Diann Of Goats and Greens, head over to her blog and be prepared to get hungry! If you have a blog join us here, or just come on over and hang out and see what is cooking around the world!

Filed under Allotment/Veg, Amuse bouche, Aubergine, Brussels sprouts, Chilli, Chilli oil, Fruit, Garlic, Grapefruit, Herbs, Home made produce, Lettuce, Main course, Onion, pomegranate, Recipe, Side dish, Starter · Tagged with Chicory, Chicory salad, fiesta friday, Rosa del Veneto, Rosa del Veneto salad, Walnut salad, walnuts