Endive, orange and walnut salad

It’s that time of year again, when the endives are bright and crisp, and not with that bitterness towards the end of the season that can make them a little less palatable. How better to enjoy them than in a fresh salad, with a twist in the ingredients that brings out the delicate complexity of their flavour?

The standard, of course, is to pair endives with walnuts and blue cheese, ideally a tangy Roquefort. I wanted to try something a little different, however, and wondered how I could bring in the idea of a sweet and sour feel, while keeping it light. My solution was to combine the juice of an orange with cider vinegar and rosemary—a combination that worked even better than I expected!

Ingredients

• 2 large endives, roughly sliced
• 1 stick celery, thinly sliced
• Handful of walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 medium orange, squeezed
• Cider vinegar
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp dried rosemary or a handful of fresh leaves, finely chopped
• Sea salt and pepper

Method

Place the chopped endives, celery and walnuts and toss. Add the orange juice, rosemary, a twist of freshly ground black pepper, a small pinch of salt, and a good lug of olive oil and a generous dose of cider vinegar. Toss thoroughly, then taste to see if the seasoning needs adjusting, or if you need more vinegar or oil. Leave to one side for 10–15 minutes to allow the flavours to combine, toss again and then serve.

Enjoy!