Bitter Salad Recipe

Prepare endives and greens

Trim the stem ends of the Belgian endives and remove any damaged outer leaves. Slice each endive lengthwise into quarters or leave halves for a chunkier presentation. Place the baby arugula and parsley in a large salad bowl. Add the sliced shallot and toasted walnuts to the bowl and toss gently to combine.

Combine the white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt and black pepper in a small bowl or jar. Whisk to dissolve the salt and emulsify the mustard. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking (or shake vigorously in a closed jar) until the dressing is smooth and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, water, sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until most cranberries have burst and the mixture is glossy and slightly thickened, about 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature; the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. If you prefer a looser syrup, add up to 2 tbs more water while cooking.

Right before serving, pour about 2/3 of the Dijon vinaigrette over the greens and endive in the large bowl. Toss gently to coat leaves evenly, being careful not to bruise the endive. Taste and add more dressing if needed.

Arrange the dressed salad on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates. Spoon poached cranberries (including a little of their syrup) over the salad in small mounds so they mingle with the endive. Dot the salad with chili crisp in small spoonfuls distributed around the platter — this provides spicy oil pockets; start with the recommended amount and let diners add more to taste.

Sprinkle the chopped toasted walnuts, then finish with dukkah evenly across the salad. Scatter a few flakes of sea salt over the top to highlight the bitter and sweet contrasts.

Serve immediately so the endive stays crisp. Provide extra chili crisp and dukkah at the table for guests.