Radicchio Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Smoked Salmon and a Plum Jam Vinaigrette

The star of this salad is the plum jam vinaigrette; the balance of sweet, tart and savory help to soften radicchio’s bitter kick. Toasted walnuts and a tin of our smoked salmon add a satiating richness, turning the salad into a complete and satisfying meal.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

For the salad

1 medium head of radicchio, torn into bite size pieces

1 batch plum jam vinaigrette, recipe follows

Flaky salt to season

1 batch urfa toasted walnuts, recipe follows

1-2 tins Ekone Smoked Salmon

For the plum jam vinaigrette

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

Fine sea salt to season

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons plum jam

Fresh cracked black pepper

½ teaspoon smoked chili flakes, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes and ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ cup olive oil

For the urfa toasted walnuts

½ cup walnut halves

1 teaspoon olive oil

A generous pinch fine sea salt

½ teaspoon urfa chile

Instructions

Begin by making the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine the shallots with a small pinch of salt. Massage the salt into the shallots to help soften the shallot’s structure, then pour over the vinegar. Set aside to macerate for 10 minutes. Add the plum jam, black pepper, smoked chili flakes, and olive oil and whisk vigorously to emulsify. Taste for seasoning, and adjust with another pinch of salt, splash of vinegar, or touch of oil if necessary.

To toast the walnuts, set a small frying pan over medium low heat. Add the walnuts and the olive oil to the pan and toss to coat the walnuts in oil. Toast, tossing the pan frequently to prevent burning, until the nuts are golden and aromatic, 5-8 minutes. Once the nuts are toasted, season with a generous pinch of salt and the urfa chili. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the salad,add the torn radicchio to a large mixing bowl. Pour ⅔ of the vinaigrette over the radicchio, and toss well with your hands to coat every nook and cranny. Season with a pinch of flaky salt. Taste a leaf - is it properly dressed? Could it use a bit more vinaigrette? More salt? Adjust as needed, and store any leftover vinaigrette in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Add a couple heaping handfuls of dressed radicchio to each plate, crumble over the walnuts, and nestle in bite sized pieces of smoked salmon.