The Colours Of Italy

Tricolore Salad

In celebration of Ontario’s, Italian Heritage Month in June, I decided to make this beautiful, three colour salad with a light, citrus dressing. The colours are representative of the Italian flag. The green is the piquant and peppery salad green-arugula or rocket. The red is the slightly bitter member of the chicory family-radicchio and the white, is the crisp and bitter member of the chicory family, Belgian endive.

Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable that provides many of the same benefits as broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts.

Chicory is a great source of vitamins and minerals, including zinc, magnesium, manganese, calcium, iron folic acid, and potassium, also, vitamin A, B6, C, E and K.

To sweeten things up a bit, I added fresh cherries to the salad, freshly squeezed orange juice and honey to the dressing. California cherries are now in season and so delicious and full of antioxidants. The sliced almonds give the salad a nice crunch and are an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium, fibre and protein.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 c. Organic baby arugula

• 3 c. (2) Belgian endive, trimmed, thinly sliced

• 3 c. (½ medium) radicchio, cored, thinly sliced

• ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 c. California cherries, pitted and halved

• ½ c. California blanched almonds, sliced

• 1 wedge Soresina Grana Padano cheese for shavings (use a vegetable peeler)

CITRUS DRESSING INGREDIENTS

MAKES 1 CUP

• ¼ c. (½ of fruit) Sunkist lemon, juiced

• ¼ c. (½ of fruit) Sunkist orange, juiced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. Maille Dijon mustard

• 1 tbsp. Crerar’s Ontario honey

• ½ c. Irini extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

• Combine all the lettuces and red onion in a large bowl. Gently toss together with a little dressing, enough to coat the lettuce.

• Arrange the salad on a large platter or individual dishes and top with cherries, almonds and shavings of Grana Padano.

• Serve alongside extra citrus dressing as needed.