A sophisticated take on the dinner salad, from Chef Gabe McMackin of The Finch.
We’ll allot plenty of dinner planning to a main dish and sides. The salad becomes an afterthought, usually consisting of bagged lettuce and a drizzle of dressing. This Castelfranco radicchio salad by Gabe McMackin, chef/owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant The Finch in Brooklyn, is not going to take the backseat to a roasted chicken. Here, Chef McMackin gives us a simplified version perfect for a weeknight. (Steps one and three can be done a day ahead, making it even easier.) Radicchio has detractors owing to its bitter taste, but the key is tempering and complementing it. In this case, the fruit, a fragrant vinaigrette and a delightful red beet-brined egg take the edge off. Can't find Castelfranco? Try Traviso red radicchio, which is a great source of vitamin K and not only that: Researchers in Italy discovered it contains an antioxidant phytochemical that helps with gut health. If you love it, you can summer-fy the recipe when the radicchio isn’t available by subbing in bitter greens like watercress and endive, both good sources of calcium.