This salad is bright and refreshing and is as lovely to behold as it is to eat. Marcona almonds—small, flattish, richly flavorful almonds from Spain that are traditionally fried—are available in well-stocked markets and specialty stores. Regular almonds that have been deeply toasted are fine stand-ins. Whichever you use, chop the nuts but leave them in large pieces so they add lots of texture. Manchego cheese is optional, but its saltiness is a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the tangerines and citrus vinaigrette.
SERVES 4 AS A SALAD COURSE OR SIDE DISH
Put the escarole in a large bowl and drizzle with 3 Tbsp of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning and add more dressing, if necessary. Transfer the dressed greens to a serving platter.
Put the tangerine segments in the large bowl, drizzle with a spoonful of the vinaigrette, toss to coat, and scatter them over the greens. Sprinkle the almonds over the top. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Manchego cheese directly onto the salad, if desired, and drizzle a spoonful of vinaigrette over the salad, allowing the dressing to fall onto the cheese. Serve immediately.
