CHOPPED SALAD WITH APPLES, WALNUTS AND BITTER LETTUCES

Chopped Salad With Apples, Walnuts and Bitter Lettuces image

The best place for a salad on the Thanksgiving menu is at the beginning of the meal, before everybody fills up. We often pass around plates of this vegetarian chopped salad (no bacon) to accompany the drinks before we sit down at the table. The salad is a great mix of bitter and sweet flavors, juicy and crunchy, and comforting, too. Sweet/tart, crisp juicy apples like Braeburns, Jonagolds, Honey Crisp and Granny Smith work well here.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories dinner, lunch, salads and dressings, appetizer

Time 20m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, green shoot removed, puréed (optional)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons walnut oil
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 5 cups chopped bitter lettuces such as radicchio, endive or escarole
2 crisp, tart, juicy apples, cut in small dice (1/4 inch)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or feta
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or a mix of parsley, chives and tarragon

Steps:

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together vinegars, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk in walnut oil and olive oil.
Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with dressing until well coated, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 215, UnsaturatedFat 15 grams, Carbohydrate 9 grams, Fat 19 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 240 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams