Author Notes
A hearty and bright salad that was inspired by the gluten-free set in my life. After volunteering to make a picnic lunch for my friends while on a wine tour through Long Island, I realized my gluten-free recipe arsenal needed some work. This salad seemed like a great way to utilize the splendid grapefruit and to introduce some of the shy eaters in crew to swiss chard.
This salad hits every note: the texture of swiss chard, the bitter sweetness of grapefruit, the funky tang of the gorgonzola and the addicting citrus-infused candied walnuts.
I enjoy serving this over a lightly-seasoned bed of quinoa for that extra protein punch.
As a warning: You'll be lucky if the candied walnuts make it to the plate because they are terribly and wonderfully addicting. —AK Butler
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Ingredients
- Swiss Chard, Grapefruit, Gorgonzola, & Candied Walnut Salad
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1 bunch
Swiss chard
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1
grapefruit, zested, segmented, juice reserved
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2.5 ounces
Gorgonzola (Roquefort or blue cheese are suitable replacements)
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4.5 ounces
raw walnuts, roughly chopped
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zest of one grapefruit (above)
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1 tablespoon
granulated sugar
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1 tsp teaspoons
salt
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pepper, to taste
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salt, to taste
- Grapefruit Vinaigrette
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2 tablespoons
reserved juice of 1 grapefruit (above)
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6 tablespoons
olive oil
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salt, to taste
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pepper, to taste
Directions
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For the Swiss chard: Pick the swiss chard greens from the stalks. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely. Set aside.
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For the grapefruit: Zest grapefruit and set zest aside for candied walnuts. Remove the remaining skin/pith and segment grapefruit over a small bowl, catching all of the excess grapefruit juice in a small bowl for the vinaigrette. Set segments and juice aside.
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For the candied walnuts: In a small saute pan (preferably non-stick), sprinkle sugar, covering the base of the pan. Over medium-high heat, melt the sugar. This will take about 1 minute. Allow the sugar to reach a honey color--do not push beyond this color because the sugar will burn rapidly. Add roughly chopped walnuts, grapefruit zest and salt and coat in the melted sugar. Removed from heat once all ingredients have been added, sitr with a wooden spoon to combine all ingredients and set aside to cool.
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Grapefruit Vinaigrette: Combine grapefruit juice and olive oil, whisking vigorously until homogenized. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
[If you have more or less grapefruit juice than listed in the recipe, the rule of thumb for vinaigrette is three parts oil for every one part juice (or vinegar, mustard, etc.)]
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To assemble the salad: In a large bowl, add swiss chard, grapefruit, blue cheese, and walnuts. Toss the salad with the grapefruit vinaigrette, adding the vinaigrette a tablespoon at a time to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
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If you have extras, store each element individually and undressed.
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