Food & Wine USA - (12)December 2018

62 DECEMBER 2018

HANDBOOK

Bright, Bitter, Brilliant Why we keep

coming back for more of chef Traci

Des Jardins’ wintry salad

WHEN TRACI DES JARDINS, the chef-owner of Jardinière in

San Francisco and a 1995 F&W Best New Chef, cooks at

home, she likes to keep it simple. his bright winter salad,

which was on the restaurant’s original menu and returns

seasonally, showcases that simplicity with thoughtfully

paired produce: he bitter greens are offset by tangy

orange juice. Sour kumquats balance sweet dates. Pecorino

adds texture and sharp flavor, and salt and pistachios bring

in crunch. Sherry vinegar offers tartness while shallots

have just the right amount of spice. “We’re always looking

for that balance between sweet, acid, and salt,” Des Jardins

says. “I think that’s the magic.” NINA FRIEND

RECIPE FROM

JARDINIÈRE

SAN FRANCISCO

MOST WANTED

Winter Chicory Salad with

Kumquats and Date Dressing

TOTAL 20 MIN; SERVES 6

A mix of young chicories, like endive, fri-

sée, and radicchio, creates pops of wel-

come color and earthy bitterness to cut

through the winter cold. Use paper-thin

slices of unpeeled clementines if kum-

quats are not available.

1 / 2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. sherry vinegar

3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot

2 cups kumquats, sliced into^1 / 8 -inch

rounds, seeds removed, divided

1 / 2 cup dried pitted dates, thinly sliced,

divided

1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 / 2 tsp. black pepper, divided

4 Belgian endive leaves, sliced (about

1 cup)

2 cups bright yellow frisée leaves

(from 1 large head, use yellow

leaves only)

2 cups packed fresh arugula

1 cup packed fresh mizuna

1 cup sliced Treviso or Chioggia

radicchio

1 / 2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf

parsley leaves

1 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, cut into

thin strips

1 / 2 cup toasted salted pistachios

4 oz. aged pecorino Romano cheese,

shaved with a Y-shaped vegetable

peeler (about 2 cups)

1. Whisk together olive oil, sherry vinegar,
   orange juice, shallot, 1 tablespoon kum-
   quats, and 1 tablespoon dates until
   blended. Season with^1 / 2 teaspoon salt
   and^1 / 4 teaspoon pepper.


2. Place remaining kumquats and dates in
   a large bowl. Reserve and set aside 6
   tablespoons vinaigrette. Drizzle remain-
   ing vinaigrette over kumquat mixture,
   and, using your hands, pull dates apart
   into individual slices. Add endive, frisée,
   arugula, mizuna, radicchio, parsley, and
   mint; gently toss to coat. Season with
   remaining^1 / 2 teaspoon salt and remaining

(^1) / 4 teaspoon pepper.

3. To serve, divide salad evenly among 6
   plates; drizzle 1 tablespoon of the
   reserved vinaigrette over top and around
   each salad. Garnish with pistachios and
   shaved pecorino Romano. PHOTOGRAPHY: GREG DUPREE; FOOD STYLING: CYD RAFTUS MCDOWELL; PROP STYLING: THOM DRIVER