Recipes

Pairs Well With

• Chardonnay
• Dry Rosé of Zinfandel

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

• 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 large shallot, finely minced
• Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 heads escarole, pale heart only, washed and trimmed
• 1/3 pound Comté, trimmed of any rind, in matchstick-size pieces
• 1/4 cup minced Italian parsley

Preparation

Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, walnut oil, vinegar, shallot, and salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 30 minutes to allow the shallot flavor to mellow. Taste and adjust the balance as needed.
 
Preheat an oven to 325°F. Toast the walnuts in a pie tin until fragrant and lightly colored, about 15 minutes. Cool. Break any large pieces up by hand.
 
In a large salad bowl, combine the escarole, walnuts, Comté and parsley. Add the vinaigrette—you may not need it all—and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. Serve immediately.

**The recipe is adapted from The Cheese Course by Janet Fletcher (Chronicle Books). Janet writes the weekly e-mail newsletter Planet Cheese (www.janetfletcher.com).