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Radicchio Salad with Pear & Candied Walnuts close up - Georgie Mullen

RADICCHIO, PEAR & CANDIED WALNUT SALAD

Radicchio is a funny one. Its bitterness is exactly what makes it so good - but it does need balancing. Here I do that with pear, candied walnuts and a ball of creamy mozzarella. What a combination!

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 as a side

Ingredients

  • 60 g walnut halves
  • 30 g caster sugar
  • 10 g salted butter
  • 2 sprigs thyme leaves picked
  • 1 small-ish radicchio leaves separated
  • 2 small firm pears thinly sliced
  • 2 balls buffalo mozzarella drained
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE DRESSING

  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 small shallot sliced very finely into rounds

Instructions

  1. Start by making the dressing. Combine the olive oil, sherry vinegar, mustard, honey and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Add the sliced shallot and stir to combine. Allow to sit and macerate for 15 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, we can make the candied walnuts. Combine the walnuts, caster sugar, butter, thyme and a pinch of salt in a small frying pan. Place over a low-medium heat and stir frequently for 4-5 minutes, or until the sugar turns from grainy to silky smooth, and is coating the nuts. Quickly pour them out onto a lined baking tray and use two forks to separate each one, so they don’t stick together. Keep your fingers away from them here. It’s molten sugar! Set them aside for 10 minutes, to let them harden.

  3. Toss the radicchio and pear with the shallot salad dressing. Arrange on a pretty serving dish and tear the mozzarella over top. Finish with the candied walnuts, a sprinkling of salt and a nice grind of black pepper.