Radicchio is so beautiful and great to serve, but sometimes its bitter notes can really overpower and not even taste good. If you soak the cut up leaves in water for 30 minutes, its a great trick that cuts down the bitterness. Also, paring it with citrus and a sweet element such as dates, aids in toning that bitterness down and makes for a great presentation!

I love the use of dates in this recipe. You’ve seen them stuffed, you’ve seen them wrapped in bacon, but here they are used in a salad, which is great and different! Combined with all the other ingredients, they go so well together and don’t get lost either.

Radicchio is grown in the Mediterranean, and can be used in several different dishes. The bitter taste is actually what holds and the minerals the leaves posses, such as vitamin K. You really should be eating anything in the produce section that is colorful because the color usually indicates it is good for you and holds a lot of nutrients. Plus it’s easy to find in the winter, which makes our lives easier!

Another winter ingredient I am a big fan of is the blood orange. Their color is so nice and they do taste a little unique, which is always good for citrus in the winter (there’s only so many clementine’s a person can eat!). And of course you can never load up on too much vitamin C in the flu season. I had a horrible cold last week, hence the lack of posts and recipes (sorry about that guys!)

Give this salad a try! It’s a great pick for you next winter dinner party.

Recipe adopted from America’s Test Kitchen, 2013.

• 3 blood oranges
• 1teaspoon sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1small shallot, minced
• 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1small head radicchio (6 ounces), halved, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2/3cup pitted dates, chopped
• 1/2cup smoked almonds, chopped coarse

1. Cut away peel and pith from blood oranges. Cut each fruit in half from pole to pole, then slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Transfer fruit to bowl and toss with sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Drain fruit in colander, reserving 2 tablespoons juice. Transfer fruit to platter, arrange in even layer, and drizzle with oil. Whisk reserved juice, shallot, and mustard in medium bowl. Add radicchio, 1/3 cup dates, and ¼ cup almonds and toss to coat. Arrange radicchio mixture over fruit, leaving 1-inch border around edges. Sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup dates and remaining 1/4 cup almonds. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.