Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 300 g chicory, washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 60 g walnut halves, raw
- 80 g blue cheese, crumbled
Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
- 15 g honey
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 299 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 9 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 487 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Cholesterol
- 15 mg
- Potassium
- 441 mg
- Calcium
- 200 mg
- Iron
- 1.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 51 mg
- Phosphorus
- 165 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 254 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 232 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.3 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.18 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 105 mcg
- Water
- 79 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the walnut halves in a dry small skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3 to 5 minutes, tossing frequently until fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove from heat immediately and allow to cool.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until smooth.
While whisking the vinegar mixture continuously, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil in a thin, steady stream until the vinaigrette thickens and emulsifies.
Place the dry, torn chicory leaves into a large salad bowl. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over the greens and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing as needed until the leaves are lightly glossed but not swimming in liquid.
Divide the dressed chicory among plates or leave in the serving bowl. Scatter the cooled toasted walnuts and crumbled blue cheese evenly over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- To maximize crispness and reduce extreme bitterness, soak the torn chicory leaves in ice water for 10 minutes, then spin them thoroughly dry before assembling the salad.
- Roquefort is the classic choice for a French bistro salad due to its sharp bite, but a creamier, milder blue like Bleu d'Auvergne or Gorgonzola Dolce works beautifully for a gentler flavor profile.
- Do not skip toasting the walnuts. The heat releases their natural essential oils, significantly elevating their earthy flavor and providing a much crisper textural contrast.
Storage
Troubleshooting
Salad is limp and soggy.
Cause: Greens were wet before dressing, or salad was dressed too far in advance of serving.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully wilted.
Prevention: Spin greens completely dry before use. Wait to toss with the vinaigrette until the moment before serving.
Vinaigrette has separated into oil and vinegar layers.
Cause: Oil was added too quickly or not whisked vigorously enough.
Fix: Whisk vigorously, or add an extra 2g of Dijon mustard and re-whisk until bound.
Prevention: Add oil drop by drop initially, then in a very slow stream while whisking rapidly.
Cultural Context
This composition is a quintessential feature of traditional French bistro menus, deeply rooted in regions like the Auvergne where exceptional blue cheeses and walnuts are produced. The pairing of intensely bitter greens with sweet honey, rich dairy fat, and acidic vinaigrette is a masterclass in classic French flavor balancing.
