My Pops and Arugula, Radicchio and Fennel Salad

 

Arugula and Fennel Winter Salad

I can't eat an Italian inspired salad without thinking of my dad.  Salads were a part of every dinner growing up. They were simple and served after the main course and not before as is customary in the North American culture.  In the summer months, when our garden was in full bloom, we had our pick of endive, radicchio, romaine, escarole and leaf lettuce.  My dad loved his garden. He would wake up early and put on his gardening hat and out he went. He would spend all day in the garden. It was his happy place and his refuge when life got tough. He did his best thinking out there. It is where you went if you needed to talk to him because in his garden he was at peace. He had buckets set up all amongst his vegetables so he could sit down and lovingly pick off pesty bugs, prune and water. He would watch them grow. He knew when there were beans missing (because we were known to  sneak in and eat right off the vines) and he knew exactly which plant needed tending. It was his sanctuary. On rainy days he would sit in the garage and watch the rain fall on his garden. He eventually built in a covered veranda off the garage so he could sit and watch at a better angle. He had a table and chairs and he would play cards with relatives that dropped in and share a glass of vino or espresso. There was always a lively conversation going on and lots of debate about whose garden was better! It was the central part of every one of my relatives houses growing up. When I would go to visit my Aunts and Uncles we wouldn't even go inside. We would go straight to the garden because we knew they would be there. They just loved to show off their gardens to each other! His grandchildren also loved Nonno's garden. They would sneak beans and tomatoes and spend hours listening to Nonno talk about how to take care of it. It really was his special place. 

Pops showing off his green beans

                    

My mother would call him from my bedroom window and let him know when it was time to eat. "Rocco! A mangia!" She would let him know if she needed lettuce and maybe some onions, a tomato and a cucumber. Sometimes the salads were simple, just lettuce and other times a few more goodies from the garden made their way in. Every once in awhile we would find one of those nasty green little caterpillars wiggling on a leaf and so we were very careful to check before we put it in our mouth! We would clean that lettuce and rinse thoroughly but those things just camouflage right in there. I am sure we ate a few of those and didn't even notice!

In the winter, salads were still at every meal but the ingredients were store bought and typically it was iceberg lettuce. It didn't really matter what type of lettuce went in the salad, they were always dressed the same. Olive oil, red or white wine vinegar (home made) and salt. That's it. Simple and delicious. We always fought for the empty salad bowl at the end of dinner because whoever got it soaked up all that dressing goodness with a big chunk of crusty bread. It is called "la scarpetta" which means the slipper. La scarpetta is classic Italian. Every one does it, whether it is with soup, tomato sauce or salad dressings and it is delicious! It is where the custom of being served bread with olive oil and vinegar at restaurants came from!

My dad has passed and I believe he is in his garden in Heaven tending to his precious vegetables. He is there with many cousins, friends and relatives. They are playing scopa briscola, drinking some vino and arguing about whose garden is the best! I now have his gardening hat and it sits proudly on my shelf reminding me of our shared passion of food and nature.

 My Pops, with hat in hand,  tending to his peppers. I💖

My  dad loved arugula, fennel and radicchio and I love this combination of all three in a salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette of lemon and olive oil. I also love the taste of oranges and fennel (see previous post) . To this salad I added orange slices and topped with toasted walnuts and thinly grated parmigiano. These are all options of course and as always in Italian cooking, let your taste buds be your guide! Additional topping suggestions could be figs, goat cheese or pomegranate arils!  I would recommend you start with 1/4 cup olive oil and the juice of half a lemon and then taste. If you are making a large salad then you will need to adjust the oil and lemon quantities. Radicchio tends to have a bitter, spicy taste so you may want to use sparingly. This salad pairs well with fish and poultry. You can serve it as a side or as a main meal with grilled chicken or shrimp sprinkled on top.

I often think of my Pops, usually when cooking with fresh ingredients that we grew, or when I hear the beautiful song of a cardinal or a butterly fluttering by. He often whispers wise words in my ear when I need it the most. But that story is for another day. 

Enjoy this salad. You will be so happy with the explosion of tastes on your palate!

Ingredients

• fresh arugula (QB)
• 1/2 half head of radicchio (QB) sliced thinly
• one or two fennel  bulbs cored and sliced thinly (QB)
• one navel or blood orange peeled and sliced. I use a paring knife to cut away peel and pith and then slice thinly.
• juice of 1/2 of a lemon
• 1/4 cup (more or less) of good quality extra virgin olive oil 
• salt to taste

Options for toppings

• shaved parmigiano
• toasted walnuts 
• goat cheese 
• dried or fresh figs
• pomegranate arils

Directions

1. Wash all lettuce well and spin or towel dry
2. Place arugula, fennel and radicchio in a salad bowl
3. In a mixing bowl blend olive oil, lemon and salt and whisk. If you prefer a creamier vinaigrette you can use an immersion blender and slowly add the oil to the lemon.
4. Mix dressing into salad.
5. Add sliced oranges and toppings of your choice.

A mangia!

Fatto con amore,

Elena 💜