RADICCHIO & ENDIVE SALAD WITH BACON LARDONS & CLEMENTINES

Radicchio and endive are lettuces known for their bitter flavour. Balance is found with the help of sweet clementines and a decadent warm bacon vinaigrette in this colourful salad. It’s bright and festive with layers of purples, greens and orange. Perfect for weeknight entertaining, it comes together in a snap.

5 strips thick bacon, thinly sliced across the grain

4 tsp (20 mL) grainy dijon mustard 2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar

¼ tsp (1 mL) salt

½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper 1 head radicchio

1 head Belgian endive

3 clementines, peeled and sliced in ½ inch (1 cm) rounds

¼ cup (60 mL) thinly sliced red onion ½ cup (125 mL) Italian parsley leaves

1 Heat bacon in a pan over medium-high. Cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper-towellined plate. Reserve 3 tbsp (45 mL) of bacon fat in a small bowl.

2 To make the dressing, stir mustard into hot bacon fat. Slowly whisk in vinegar, salt and pepper.

3 Tear leaves from radicchio and endive and arrange on a platter. Top with bacon lardons, clementine slices and red onion. Garnish with parsley leaves. Drizzle warm dressing over salad. Serves 4 as an appetizer or side