ON YOUR PLATE ARE BELGIAN ENDIVE LEAVES WHICH HAVE BEEN TOSSED IN ORANGE JUICE AND ZEST. BENEATH THEM IS A LAYER OF WHAT IGNACIO MATTOS CALLS "GRANOLA", A MIXTURE OF TOASTED BREADCRUMBS, CRUSHED WALNUTS, MOISTENED WITH A VINAIGRETTE AND TOSSED WITH TWO CHEESES--PECORINO DURO AND UBRIACO ROSSO. YOU PICK UP A LEAF AND USE IT TO SCOOP UP THE GRANOLA. THE ENDIVE'S SLIGHT BITTERNESS IS SWEETENED BY THE ORANGE. THE GRANOLA IS IRREGULAR AND CRUNCHY WITH LITTLE PEBBLES OF CHEESE TO SOFTEN THE CRUNCH. IS THIS A SALAD? IS IT A DIP? THE GENIUS OF THIS RECIPE IS THAT IT IS AN ORIGINAL, MATTOS' INVENTION WHICH LIKE SO MUCH OF HIS COOKING HOBBLES TOGETHER FAMILIAR INGREDIENTS TO CREATE DISHES YOU HAVE NEVER TASTED, BUT ARE SOMEHOW FAMILIAR. I'VE MADE THIS SALAD THREE TIMES AND HAVE FOUND THAT BY ADHERING RELIGIOUSLY TO THE CHEF'S DIRECTIONS, I PUT TOGETHER A FIRST COURSE WHICH MY GUESTS CONSUME DOWN TO THE LAST TINY CRUMB. LIKE A LOT OF RESTAURANT RECIPES, IT'S MORE WORK YOU'D THINK. BUT IF YOU'VE GOT THE TIME AND THE PATIENCE, IT'S WORTH IT. IF YOU HAVEN'T EATEN AT ESTELA, THIS SALAD WILL MAKE YOU WANT TO THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE ON HOUSTON STREET. WHAT FOLLOWS IS PRETTY MUCH VERBATIM FROM THE MASTER HIMSELF.

CategoryRECIPES, SALADS

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE

2 GARLIC CLOVES

4 LARGE ANCHOVY FILLETS

2 tbsp GARNACHA VINEGAR OR BANYULS OR GOOD RED WINE VINEGAR

¼ cup OLIVE OIL

FOR THE GRANOLA

1 ½ cups HOMEMADE BREADCRUMBS, CRUSHED IRREGULARLY

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 cup WALNUTS

CHILE FLAKES

⅓ cup UBRIACO ROSSO OR JUST UBRIACO

⅓ cup PECORINO DURO (HARD) e.g. PECORINO ROMANO or TOSCANO

FOR THE ENDIVES

6 BELGIAN ENDIVES, DEPENDING ON THEIR SIZE

1 NAVEL ORANGE

I SUGGEST YOU PREPARE THE BREADCRUMBS AND THE WALNUTS AHEAD OF TIME. IT WILL SAVE YOU A LOT OF WORK THE DAY YOU COMPOSE THE SALAD.

BREADCRUMBS AND WALNUTS

SLICE A BAGUETTE INTO 1-INCH PIECES AND ARRANGE ON A BAKING SHEET. PLACE IN THE OVEN ON THE LOWEST SETTING AND BAKE FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE BREAD HAS COMPLETELY DRIED OUT.

PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 350º

SPREAD THE BREAD ON YOUR COUNTERTOP (MARBLE OR STONE IF YOU'VE GOT IT) AND USING A CAST IRON FRYING PAN, CRUSH (DON'T POUND, CRUSH) THEM INTO BREADCRUMBS. FOR THIS PARTICULAR RECIPE, THE PIECES SHOULD BE IRREGULAR -- NOTHING BIGGER THAN AN M&M.

SPREAD THE BREADCRUMBS ON THE BAKING SHEET. BAKE FOR 8-10 MINUTES, SHAKING THE PAN HALFWAY THROUGH TO DISTRIBUTE THE CRUMBS. BREADCRUMBS SHOULD BE WELL-BROWNED, BUT TAKE CARE NOT TO BURN THEM.

EMPTY THE BREADCRUMBS INTO A BOWL. WIPE OFF THE PAN. SCATTER THE WALNUTS ON THE PAN AND RETURN TO THE OVEN. BAKE 8-10 MINUTES, TOSSING OCCASIONALLY, TILL THE NUTS ARE BROWNED.

WHILE THE NUTS ARE STILL WARM, PLACE IN A MORTAR AND PESTLE. ADD 1 TBSP OLIVE OIL, 1 TBSP OF SALT, A PINCH OF CHILI FLAKES, AND A FEW GRINDINGS OF PEPPER. CRUSH TO A COARSE TEXTURE.

ADD THE WALNUTS TO THE BREADCRUMBS. SEAL WITH PLASTIC WRAP AND STORE TILL THE NEXT DAY OR WHENEVER YOU FINISH THE SALAD.

VINAIGRETTE

IN A MORTAR AND PESTLE, CRUSH THE GARLIC CLOVES AND THE ANCHOVIES INTO A ROUGH PASTE, SMOOTH BUT SLIGHTLY CHUNKY. STIR IN 2 TBSPS OF VINEGAR AND 1/4 CUP OF OLIVE OIL.

FINISHING THE SALAD

TRIM ABOUT AN INCH OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE ENDIVES. PEEL OFF THE LEAVES, TRIMMING OFF THE ROOT AS YOU GO TILL YOU'RE LEFT WITH THE TENDER CORE. QUARTER THE CORE AND PLACE ALL THE LEAVES IN A BOWL.

USING A ZESTER OR A GRATER, GRATE THE ZEST FROM THE ORANGE INTO THE BOWL WITH THE ENDIVES. SQUEEZE AND STRAIN THE ORANGE JUICE INTO THE BOWL.

ADD 1 TBSP OF CHAMPAGNE VINEGAR.

BREAK THE CHEESES INTO 1/2 INCH PIECES AND TOSS WITH THE BREADCRUMBS AND THE VINAIGRETTE.

DIVIDE THE GRANOLA ONTO INDIVIDUAL SERVING PLATES AND SPREAD IT EVENLY.

TOSS THE ENDIVES IN THE BOWL WITH THE ORANGE ZEST AND JUICE.

ARRANGE THE LEAVES ON TOP OF GRANOLA AND SERVE.

SERVES 6-8

Ingredients