Make This: Sunshine Salad

A sunny, zippy salad for any time.

As much as I love a deep, concentrated braise or a proper roast with the fixings in the wintertime, I also find myself craving brightness, verve, and sunshine on the plate. I know I’m not alone.

If, like me, you’re emerging from a week or two (or a year) of gluttony, this Sunshine Salad is a dish you can keep in your back pocket to get back on track. I like it paired with simply grilled chicken thighs for a sort-of Chicken Paillard filtered through a California lens. I like to make a big batch and keep it on hand for a few days, filling out a plate at lunch, adding some electricity to the meal.

I appreciate the accessibility of the ingredients and generally find myself drawn to recipes like this that don’t require specialty ingredients. You can find carrots and fennel in any supermarket. Even the most pedestrian grocery stores seem to offer radicchio these days.

The dressing, which is piquant and bold with garlic, is inspired by the assertive Coriander Vinaigrette from Buvette in NYC, where it dresses their Carrot Râpées.

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Sunshine Salad

Coarsely grate 4 large carrots on the largest eye of a box grater into a large mixing bowl.

Thinly slice half a head of fennel, either by hand or with a mandolin, and add to the bowl. The pieces should be thin enough that they are flimsy but not translucent.

Shave a half a head of radicchio very thinly, as if you were making a very fine slaw. Add to the bowl.

Chop fresh parsley and add to the bowl.

For the dressing, combine 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice with 2/3 cup olive oil in a jar. Add a finely grated clove of garlic (or two) and a large pinch of chili flake and salt. Give it a nice shake and taste for seasoning. The dressing should be zippy and bright, and bold with garlic. Add more lemon juice if needed - or more garlic!

Dress your salad and toss well to combine and properly season all the bits. It’s great as is, and particularly nice with pistachio.