You know how sometimes the simplest recipes can be a complete revelation? This Radicchio, Artichoke, and Heirloom Tomato Salad is one of those dishes. Grilling the radicchio makes it crisp on the outside, warm on the inside, and gives it an irresistible smoky flavor.
Because the act of grilling the greens adds so much complexity, you don’t need to pile on the ingredients to make a delicious salad–some fresh tomatoes (heirloom, if you can find them), artichokes, and basil round things out, with a homemade vinaigrette to tie all the flavors together.
This recipe comes from The Plantpower Way: Italia, the new plant-based cookbook from Julie Piatt and Rich Roll. If you’re a fan of cookbooks that double as coffee table books, you’re going to love this one. And if you’re looking to cut down on meat and dairy, you’ll appreciate the fresh spin on Italian cooking in this vegan cookbook.
Because Julie Piatt is kind of the queen of plant-based cheeses, there’s no shortage of vegan cheese recipes in this book–which, of course, are perfect for pairing with Italian-inspired dishes. I made the Smoked Walnut Parmesan last week to serve with oven-roasted asparagus and the Cashew Almond Mozzarella is on my to-make list. And then there’s the pasta! So many gorgeous pasta recipes!
If you’re looking for another light side dish, we’re sharing the book’s Blackened Balsamic Cauliflower over on Hello Veggie.
Radicchio, Artichoke & Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 heads of radicchio halved
- 4 heirloom tomatoes sliced into quarters
- 1 cup artichoke hearts in a jar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 bunch fresh basil finely sliced
Instructions
- In a medium shallow serving dish, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Set aside
- With metal tongs, hold each radicchio half over an open flame or place it on a gas grill barbecue. Grill it for about 5 minutes, until the leaves blacken around the edges and the colors brighten. Remove from the heat and place in the dressing, turning it over to coat the radicchio well.
- In a small bowl, place the tomatoes and the artichoke hearts and toss well in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lemon juice, and salt to taste.
- On individual plates arrange a radicchio half in the center. Add the tomato mixture on top and garnish with fresh basil. Pour some of the remaining marinade over the radicchio.
Photos by Ana Stanciu
1
Leave a Reply