This was supposed to be a fennel salad. Fennel is assertive - both in texture and flavor - and stands up really well to bold flavors so I thought that it would work. As I was preparing dinner, I methodically reached into the fridge, washed and prepped a head of escarole and made the salad that way instead.
Either way would be delicious and the punchy warm dressing works really well with the hearty green that is escarole, as it would with the crunch of fennel shavings. The glorious garlicky croûtons are just icing on the cake.
I suppose this salad could be seen as Caesar Salad's gutsy, thinner, younger cousin.
1 bulb of fennel, shaved with a vegetable peeler
or
1 head of escarole, washed, dried and torn into manageable pieces
4 thick slices of rye bread cut from a loaf and cubed
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tsps
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
6 anchovies
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 shallot, peeled, halved and cut into thin half moons
Salt
Preheat the oven to 400.
Toss the bread cubes in 2 teaspoons of the oil and salt liberally. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 5-7 minutes until crunchy on the outside. Set aside.
Put the dry escarole in a salad bowl and toss with the shallot or arrange the shaved fennel on a dish and artistically top with the shallot.
Put the 1/4 cup of oil in a skillet over low heat, along with the garlic clove and the anchovies. Stir, mashing down on the anchovies, to help them melt into the oil.
As soon as that happens, remove the oil from the heat, fish out the garlic and add the vinegar. Be careful as the oil will spit. Stir to combine and pour over either the salad (toss well) or the fennel (drizzle).
Enjoy. This would also make a really delicious lunch if topped with a poached egg.