Frisée and Grape Salad with Verjus and Blue Cheese

Use a colorful assortment of grapes for this elegant salad. Verjus is pressed unfermented juice from unripe grapes.

• 3 Tbs. verjus
• 2 Tbs. grapeseed oil
• 1-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
• 8 cups lightly packed baby frisée or mixed salad greens, separated into leaves
• 2 cups mixed grapes, halved, and seeded if necessary
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, such as Point Reyes or Maytag (about 2 oz.)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a salad bowl, whisk the verjus and the oil. Add the shallot and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the frisée, grapes, and cheese and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Frisée, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad

It’s best to layer this elegant salad, so the avocado and grapefruit don’t weigh down the delicate greens. If you like, you can mix a handful of arugula or thinly sliced radicchio with the frisée.

• 3 to 4 medium heads frisée (about 4-1/2 oz. each)
• 3 medium pink grapefruit 
• 1 medium shallot, minced (1/4 cup)
• 1-1/2 Tbs. Champagne vinegar; more as needed 
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice  
• Kosher salt 
• 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 firm-ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced lengthwise  
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

To prepe the frisée

Remove the green outer leaves from the frisée and discard or reserve for another use. Trim off any dark green tips and cut off the root ends (you should have about 5 cups).

Finely grate 1 tsp. zest from one of the grapefruit. Trim the entire peel from all of the grapefruit and then cut the segments free from their membranes. 

Combine the grapefruit zest, shallot, vinegar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste with a leaf of frisée and season the vinaigrette with more vinegar or salt if necessary. Set aside.

Arrange the avocado slices on a platter or distribute among individual serving plates. Season with salt. 

Put the frisée in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Gently scatter the frisée on and around the avocado (the salad will be somewhat flat). Nestle the grapefruit slices into the salad.  Drizzle more vinaigrette on the salad, focusing on the avocado; you may not need it all. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve. 

Frisée Salad with Blue Cheese, Dried Cherries & Walnut Vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup dried tart cherries
• 2 Tbs. minced shallot (about 1 medium shallot)
• 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tbs. walnut oil
• 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large head frisée (about 8 oz.), torn into bite-size pieces, washed and spun dry
• 4 oz. good-quality blue cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

In a small bowl, soak the dried cherries in 1/2 cup hot water until plumped, 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine the shallot, vinegar, and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Drizzle in the walnut oil, whisking as you go, followed by the olive oil. Drag a piece of frisée through the vinaigrette and taste for seasoning.

Drain the cherries. Put the frisée in a large bowl. Pour on about two-thirds of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Add more vinaigrette if needed to evenly but lightly coat the leaves (you may not need all of it). Arrange the frisée on six salad plates. Top each with some of the blue cheese and dried cherries, and serve.

Frisée, Avocado, and Grapefruit Salad

It’s best to layer this elegant salad, so the avocado and grapefruit don’t weigh down the delicate greens. If you like, you can mix a handful of arugula or thinly sliced radicchio with the frisée.

• 3 to 4 medium heads frisée (about 4-1/2 oz. each)
• 3 medium pink grapefruit 
• 1 medium shallot, minced (1/4 cup)
• 1-1/2 Tbs. Champagne vinegar; more as needed 
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice  
• Kosher salt 
• 6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 firm-ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced lengthwise  
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

To prepe the frisée

Remove the green outer leaves from the frisée and discard or reserve for another use. Trim off any dark green tips and cut off the root ends (you should have about 5 cups).

Finely grate 1 tsp. zest from one of the grapefruit. Trim the entire peel from all of the grapefruit and then cut the segments free from their membranes. 

Combine the grapefruit zest, shallot, vinegar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste with a leaf of frisée and season the vinaigrette with more vinegar or salt if necessary. Set aside.

Arrange the avocado slices on a platter or distribute among individual serving plates. Season with salt. 

Put the frisée in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Gently scatter the frisée on and around the avocado (the salad will be somewhat flat). Nestle the grapefruit slices into the salad.  Drizzle more vinaigrette on the salad, focusing on the avocado; you may not need it all. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve. 

Frisée Salad with Oranges & Pistachios

• 1 large or 2 small heads frisée, rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups)
• 2 navel oranges or blood oranges
• 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey
• 3 Tbs. finely diced red onion
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted

Put the frisée in a large salad or mixing bowl. Finely grate the zest of one of the oranges into a small bowl. Slice the skin from both oranges and cut the orange sections away from the dividing membranes; put the sections in another bowl.

Add the vinegar, honey, and onion to the zest, whisk in the oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add just enough of the dressing to the frisée to coat it lightly. Mound the frisée on four salad plates, scraping any red onion remaining in the bowl over the frisée. Arrange the orange slices on top, scatter with the pistachios, and serve immediately.

Frisée Salad with Oranges & Pistachios

• 1 large or 2 small heads frisée, rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups)
• 2 navel oranges or blood oranges
• 2 Tbs. sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey
• 3 Tbs. finely diced red onion
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted

Put the frisée in a large salad or mixing bowl. Finely grate the zest of one of the oranges into a small bowl. Slice the skin from both oranges and cut the orange sections away from the dividing membranes; put the sections in another bowl.

Add the vinegar, honey, and onion to the zest, whisk in the oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add just enough of the dressing to the frisée to coat it lightly. Mound the frisée on four salad plates, scraping any red onion remaining in the bowl over the frisée. Arrange the orange slices on top, scatter with the pistachios, and serve immediately.

Frisée and Grape Salad with Verjus and Blue Cheese

Use a colorful assortment of grapes for this elegant salad. Verjus is pressed unfermented juice from unripe grapes.

• 3 Tbs. verjus
• 2 Tbs. grapeseed oil
• 1-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
• 8 cups lightly packed baby frisée or mixed salad greens, separated into leaves
• 2 cups mixed grapes, halved, and seeded if necessary
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, such as Point Reyes or Maytag (about 2 oz.)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a salad bowl, whisk the verjus and the oil. Add the shallot and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the frisée, grapes, and cheese and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper