Endive-Walnut Salad

I discovered this salad last winter when endives were really cheap for some reason. Ed picked up an endive and said "I wonder what you use endives for? Lets buy one and eat it". Most of our culinary adventures start this way; we buy a strange food, look it up in the joy of cooking, and then experiment from there. I'll admit, endives aren't all that strange... in fact, they're pretty normal. But we'd never seen them before. So anyway, I think my favorite part of this salad is how the toasted walnuts get kind of light and airy, and the endives are so light and crunchy, the textures just make the salad. Its delicious. But I would probably say that about any salad.

Endive-Walnut Salad

4 Endives
1 Shallot, small
1 tbs white vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 C walnuts
1/2 C crumbled feta
1/2 head of radicchio (optional)

Toast the walnuts in a 400 degree oven, on a normal baking sheet. 5-10 minutes should render the walnuts amply toasted. Allow them to cool.

Chop the endives, removing the hard hearts. Place in a salad bowl. Chop the radicchio, add to the bowl. Once the walnuts have cooled, add them as well.

Combine 1 minced small shallot (or half a large one) with the vinegar, oil and salt and pepper. Toss with the endives and radicchio. I find if you salt the salad lightly before you dress it, you end up using less dressing and it tastes much better. Try it. Crumble the feta on top.