MAKES 12 TO 16 SERVINGS
This is a reliable salad for winter holiday parties because it doesn’t depend on tomatoes and other summer vegetables to be tasty. Have everything prepared and refrigerated well ahead of time, then toss just before serving.
VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
SALAD
One 5- to 7-ounce bag mesclun salad greens
One 14-ounce can hearts of palm, drained, rinsed, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 head radicchio, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 head fennel, cored and cut crosswise into thin slices
2 heads Belgian endive, cored and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, cut into thin strips
1 small red onion, cut into thin half-moons
7 ounces enoki mushrooms, roots trimmed and cut into small clusters
1 cup coarsely chopped glazed pecans
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/2 cup dried currants
1. To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the Champagne vinegar, shallots, mustard, tarragon, thyme, and parsley. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. In a very big serving bowl, toss together the salad greens, hearts of palm, pears, radicchio, fennel, Belgian endive, carrots, onion, and mushrooms. Add the vinaigrette and toss. Add the pecans, blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, and currants and toss again. Serve immediately.
Note: The dressing can be covered and refrigerated for 3 days. Whisk again before using.