Preparation time 15 mins, plus chestnut preparation time
Serves 4
A delicious salad by itself or with left over roast chicken or a panfried duck breast or pork chop. To get chestnuts to the peeled stage first score, then simmer in water for 15 mins and then remove the outer shell and the inner shell while chestnut is still warm.
Ingredients
2 handfuls washed curly endive leaves, broken into pices
2 handfuls washed radicchio leaves
1 small handful pancetta cut into small pieces, or subsitute bacon
1/2 bunch shallots finely chopped
250g peeled chestnuts (approx 500g whole chestnuts)
2 tspns dijon mustard
1/3 cup walnut (or other nut oil)
1 tspns red wine vinegar
2 slices sourdough bread, toasted, buttered and cut into cubes, make just before needed so they are still warm
pepper
Method
Arrange salad leaves on a large plate or invidual plates.
Saute pancetta over medium heat in a frypan until crisp remove pancetta, leaving oil in pan, and spread over leaves.
Cook whole chestnuts in the same pan for a few minutes and then add to salad.
Add shallots to pan cook for a couple of minutes then add oil and mustard to pan and then vinegar.
Pour hot dressing over salad, sprinkle with cubed bread and season with pepper to taste.