Frisee Salad With Champagne Mango, Goat Cheese, Black Olives, Elderflower Vinaigrette Recipe

Prepare frisée

Wash the frisée thoroughly to remove grit. Spin or pat dry until mostly dry. Tear into bite-sized pieces and place in a large chilled mixing bowl.

Prepare mango

Peel the champagne mango, slice flesh off the pit, and cut into 1/4-inch slices or bite-sized wedges. Arrange slices on a plate and set aside.

Olives and almonds

Pit and halve the black olives if not already pitted. Lightly toast the sliced almonds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes. Remove and cool.

Assemble salad

Just before serving, add the mango slices, halved olives, and most of the toasted almonds to the bowl with frisée. Reserve a small amount of almonds for garnish. Crumble the goat cheese evenly over the top.

Garnish

Finish with microgreens or small herb sprigs if using. Hold off tossing until after dressing is added (see dressing section).

Combine the vinaigrette ingredients: in a small jar or bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, elderflower cordial, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey (if using), salt, and pepper until the salt is dissolved.

Emulsify: while whisking, slowly stream in the extra-virgin olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a little more salt, pepper, or elderflower cordial for sweetness if desired.

Dress the salad: drizzle about 2 to 3 tablespoons of dressing over the assembled frisée, mango, olives, almonds, and goat cheese. Gently but thoroughly toss with tongs to coat the leaves and distribute ingredients. Add more dressing sparingly if needed (reserve any extra dressing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days).

Plate and finish: divide the tossed salad among 4 plates or one large platter. Sprinkle the reserved toasted almonds over each portion, add a final crack of black pepper, and serve immediately.