Winter Salads to Try Now

by Kelly Senyei, Gourmet

Now that one of the biggest food days of the year is behind us, I'm turning to a bevy of winter salads to lighten my caloric load before the next holiday feast. From tangy citrus to crisp endive, our recipes are guaranteed to provide a light and refreshing twist to your next meal.

ENDIVE AND ESCAROLE SALAD WITH MUSTARD-ORANGE VINAIGRETTE


recipe by Paul Grimes
A salad of oranges and slightly bitter endive and escarole rounds out the buffet of fried latkes and rich toppings.

SERVES 8
ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN
START TO FINISH: 20 MIN




Ingredients
* 2 navel oranges
* 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1 medium head escarole, torn into 2- to 3-inch pieces (12 cups)
* 4 Belgian endives, leaves separated and halved crosswise

Preparation
* Grate 1 tsp zest from 1 orange and reserve.
* Cut peel, including white pith, from oranges with a sharp knife. Cut segments free from membranes into a bowl. Squeeze 1 Tbsp juice from membranes into a large bowl and whisk together with reserved zest, vinegar, oil, mustard, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper until emulsified.
* Add escarole, endive, and orange segments to vinaigrette and gently toss.

Cooks' Notes:
- Escarole can be washed and dried 1 day ahead and chilled, layered between paper towels in a sealable bag.
- Orange segments can be cut and vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead and chilled separately. Whisk vinaigrette before using.

CELERY-ROOT AND BEET SALAD
recipe by Alexis Touchet
Root vegetables have always been popular in Scandinavia because they store well during the long winter months and are therefore available year-round.

SERVES 8
ACTIVE TIME: 45 MIN
START TO FINISH: 2 3/4 HR
Ingredients
* 6 medium beets (2 1/4 lb with greens), trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
* 1 (1-lb) celery root (sometimes called celeriac)
* 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus additional to taste
* 2 tablespoons minced shallot
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (2 oz), toasted and cooled

Preparation
* Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
* Wrap beets tightly in foil to make 2 packages (3 beets in each) and roast until tender, about 1 1/4 hours.
* While beets roast, peel celery root with a sharp knife and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks. Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, oil, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl until combined well, then add celery root and toss until coated. Keep at room temperature, covered, until ready to add beets.
* Carefully unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut beets into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks and toss with celery root.
* Let salad stand, covered, at room temperature 1 hour. Taste salad and season with more lemon juice and salt if necessary, then toss with walnuts.
Cooks' Notes
- Toast nuts in a shallow baking pan in a 350° F oven until golden, 5 to 15 minutes.

See more:The Best Ways to Eat Meatballs

CITRUS SALAD WITH STAR ANISE
recipe by Lori W. Powell
A fruit salad for dessert is a great way to use the abundance of late winter-grapefruits and oranges. The floral quality of anise plays off the tartness of the fruit beautifully.

SERVES 4
ACTIVE TIME: 10 MIN
START TO FINISH: 1 1/4 HR

Ingredients
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 4 whole star anise or 1 teaspoon anise seeds
* 3 assorted grapefruits such as white, pink, and ruby
* 2 navel oranges

Preparation
* Simmer water with sugar and anise in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Cool slightly.
* Cut peel and white pith from grapefruits and oranges with a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut grapefruit and orange sections free from membranes. Pour off juice released during cutting from bowl and reserve.
* Stir syrup into fruit and chill, covered, 1 hour. Stir in reserved juice to taste.

Cooks' Notes
- Salad can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.


FRISÉE AND CELERY SALAD WITH TOASTED FENNEL-SEED DRESSING


recipe by Melissa Roberts
Fennel dressing, bright with lemon juice, coats pleasantly bitter greens with an intriguing hint of licorice.

SERVES 8
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN
START TO FINISH: 30 MIN





Ingredients
* 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (1 large)
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 lb frisée (French curly endive), torn into bite-size pieces (10 cups)
* 3 Belgian endives, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide slices
* 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced crosswise (2 cups)

Special Equipment
* an electric coffee/spice grinder

Preparation
* Grind fennel seeds in grinder until ground but not powdery. Transfer to a small bowl or cup, then stir in oil until combined. Let stand 15 minutes.
* Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, salt, and sugar in another small bowl or cup until salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir fennel oil, then add to shallot mixture in a slow stream, whisking until combined.
* Toss frisée, endives, and celery in a large bowl with just enough vinaigrette to coat.

Cooks' Notes
- Fennel oil can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before adding to shallot mixture.
- Frisée and celery can be washed and dried 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with dampened paper towels.

CRISP WINTER LETTUCES WITH WARM SWEET-AND-SHARP DRESSING
recipe by Scott Peacock
In keeping with the rest of the menu, this is no shy salad. The sweet and acidic vinaigrette unites with the salty bacon and, along with the lettuces, produces fireworks in the mouth.

SERVES 8
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN
START TO FINISH: 40 MIN

Ingredients
* 12 cups mixed salad greens such as romaine, watercress, and Bibb and/or Boston
* 1 large bunch arugula (optional), coarse stems discarded
* 6 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
* 9 bacon slices (1/2 pound)
* 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
* 1/4 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Preparation
* Tear greens into large pieces and put in a large salad bowl with arugula, scallions, and chives.
* Cook bacon in a 12-inch nonreactive skillet (see Tips) over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then stir vinegar, sugars, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into fat in skillet. Boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. (Dressing should be syrupy and bubbling.)
* Crumble bacon over salad, then toss with enough warm dressing to lightly coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Cooks' Notes- The vinegar, sugars, and seasoning (without bacon fat) can be boiled to reduce (by half) 2 days ahead. Add to hot bacon fat, then bring to a boil just before making salad.

See more:A Drink for Every Holiday Dysfunction

ENDIVE AND RADICCHIO SALAD


recipe by Lillian Chou

SERVES 4 TO 6
ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN
START TO FINISH: 20 MIN










Inregredients
* 3 Belgian endives
* 1/4 lb radicchio
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 3 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
* 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
* 2 scallions, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
* 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (see Tips)
* 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation
* Trim endives and halve lengthwise. Cut pieces in half crosswise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
* Cut radicchio in half and discard core, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Soak radicchio and endives in a large bowl of very cold water to crisp, 10 minutes, then drain and dry.
* Whisk together mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, grapeseed oil, and sesame oil in another large bowl until emulsified.
* Add endives, radicchio, scallions, and sesame seeds and toss until coated well.

SHAVED FENNEL, RADISH, AND GRAPEFRUIT SALAD
recipe by Melissa Roberts
If you're making the striped bass in agrodolce sauce as well as this salad, save 1/3 cup chopped fennel fronds for garnishing the fish.

SERVES 8 GENEROUSLY
ACTIVE TIME: 55 MIN
START TO FINISH: 2 1/4 HR (INCLUDES STEEPING)

Ingredients
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, lightly crushed
* 4 medium fennel bulbs (sometimes called anise; about 3 1/2 lb total), stalks cut off and discarded
* 1 lb radishes (about 1 1/2 lb total with greens), trimmed
* 4 pink or red grapefruits
* 1 medium garlic clove
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Special Equipment
* a Japanese Benriner or other adjustable-blade slicer

Preparation
* Heat oil with fennel seeds in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat until seeds are fragrant and pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 2 hours.
* While seeds are steeping, quarter fennel bulbs lengthwise and cut out and discard most of cores, leaving just enough core to keep quarters of fennel intact. Cut fennel lengthwise into paper-thin slices with slicer. Transfer to a large bowl.
* Cut radishes crosswise into very thin slices (slightly thicker than fennel slices) with slicer and add to fennel in bowl.
* Cut peel, including all white pith, from grapefruits with a small sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut segments free from membranes and squeeze juice from membranes into bowl. Transfer segments to a cutting board, reserving juice in bowl, and coarsely chop, then add to fennel and radishes.
* Pour fennel oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. (Discard seeds.)
* Mince garlic and mash to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large heavy knife, then transfer to another small bowl. Whisk in salt, pepper, fennel oil, and 5 tablespoons grapefruit juice, then pour over salad, tossing gently to coat.

Cooks' Notes
- Fennel oil can be made 1 day ahead and chilled in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before using.
- Fennel and radishes can be sliced 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered with dampened paper towels.
- Grapefruit can be chopped 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Chill juice separately.
- Dressing can be made 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature or chilled, covered.


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