Arugula, Radicchio and Rainbow Carrot Salad

How is January going? The last major winter storm missed us, thankfully.  We are chilly here but have no snow on the ground! My husband was even able to play golf twice earlier this month when the temps were in the mid to upper 40s. (Yes, a die-hard golfer!)    

After the splurges of the holidays and chill of winter, we have found ourselves gravitating toward warming soups and hearty salads for dinner and today, I'm sharing a recipe that was on our gourmet group menu in December.  I had been waiting for the radish sprouts I started from seed on January 1st to be ready to harvest so I could use them in this salad.  

They grew so quickly!  Within a few days the seeds had sprouted through the soil and within less than two weeks they were ready to harvest.  

This is quite a hearty salad, with the addition of burrata cheese and toasted almonds.  With fiber, carbs and protein, you could even eat this for a light meal which is exactly what we did last night. If you're not familiar with burrata cheese, it's a type of mozzarella with a soft, creamy center with a buttery flavor.  So delicious!  It's sold in the section of your grocery store where you would also find fresh mozzarella (the kind sold in tubs, floating in water).  Fresh mozzarella is a good substitute if you can't fin burrata cheese.  

The dressing is a delightful combination of rice vinegar, lemon juice, honey and cumin which gives the dressing an earthy flavor that compliments the salad perfectly.

Just look at all of those beautiful colors!  The bright radicchio and pomegranate seeds with the purple-orange shaved carrot and bright green radish sprouts make a beautiful presentation.  If you can't get radish sprouts, use some fresh herbs such as parsley or basil.  I'm not a fan of all-radicchio salads so I mixed in one of my favorite greens, arugula.  I also added some finely shaved fennel which is my new favorite addition to salads.

Enjoy! 

Arugula, Radicchio and Rainbow Carrot Salad 

Printable Recipe

SERVES 2-4   

Dressing:

½ teaspoon lemon zest 

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds, ground, or ground cumin

2 teaspoons honey

1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Salad:

2 cups arugula, washed and dried

2 cups torn radicchio leaves, washed and dried

1 large rainbow carrot (purple preferred), thinly shaved with a vegetable peeler

1/4 cup finely shaved fresh fennel

2 tablespoons assorted chopped fresh herbs such as radish sprouts, parsley, or basil

1 small ball of burrata cheese (preferred) or mini fresh mozzarella balls

1⁄4 cup pomegranate seeds

1⁄4 cup roasted slivered almonds

Roast slivered almonds in a 350F oven for about 6 minutes, until golden brown.  Allow to cool before using.  

To make the dressing, combine the lemon zest, vinegar, lemon juice, cumin, and honey. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the salad, combine the arugula, radicchio leaves, carrots, shaved fennel and sprouts or herbs in a chilled bowl or platter and toss with 3 tablespoons of the dressing.

Top with small spoonfuls of burrata (or fresh mozzarella), pomegranate seeds, and the almonds. Drizzle with a bit more dressing to taste, freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Adapted from Saveur