Page 50 - Valley Table - Spring 2023

z Chicories with Tuna, Fennel, and Old-School Italian Dressing
3 1⁄2 cups cooked white beans, such as cannellini or butter beans, or 2 cans (15 oz. each), drained
Good-quality olive oil, for drizzling
Freshly ground black pepper 1 medium head radicchio,
cored, leaves coarsely torn 1⁄4 cup roughly chopped flat-
leaf parsley (both leaves
and tender stems)
Flaky salt, for finishing Toasted bread, for serving
(optional)
METHOD
1 Make the dressing: Whisk the oil, vinegar, sugar, oregano, and garlic in a small bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and set aside.
2 Prepare the salad: Place the shallots in a small bowl and pour in just enough vinegar to cover them. Add a pinch of kosher salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and discard the vinegar.
3 In a medium bowl, gently toss together the shallots, tuna, and white beans, drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
4 Place the radicchio in a large bowl and toss with a
bit of the vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large platter.
5 Arrange the tuna–bean mixture on top and drizzle some more of the vinaigrette. Scatter with parsley and season with flaky salt.
I love this salad! It features the classic Italian combina- tion of creamy white beans and oil-packed tuna, and it's tossed with a dressing that will remind you of your child- hood, but also with radicchio, which will remind you that you’re an adult and like bitter greens. Thinly sliced fennel would also be a nice addition. Macerating the shallot in some vinegar for a few min- utes takes off the edge and provides pleasant acidity.
SERVES 4 to 6
TIME 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For The Dressing:
1⁄2 cup olive oil
5 Tbsp red wine vinegar, plus
a bit more for the shallots
1 teaspoon light brown sugar 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic, grated
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepper
For The Salad:
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced into rings
Red wine vinegar, for drizzling
Kosher salt
2 jars (6.7 oz.) oil-packed tuna
or good-quality canned tuna, broken into large pieces.
48 TheValleyTable | March—May2023