Misticanza

I am a big believer that sometimes you just need particular things.  Sometimes you just need a big huge bowl of salad.  Other times you need a big, greasy burger and french fries.  Sometimes you really just need a fabulous pair of shoes, but that is beside the point.  I guess I am am a believer that you should eat everything in moderation, but if you really need or want something, I say go for it.  While my wants/needs aren't always healthy, I figure they balance out okay in the end (although you periodically have to do the "are my pants getting snug?" readjustment).  Take today's lunch for example.  After feasting on chicken, vegetables, and bread from last night's Roasted Chicken with Vegetables, what I really wanted for lunch was a big bowl of salad.  And some hummus and pita to round the whole lunch out.  The craving for salad was helped along by the knowledge that for tonight's dinner we were going to clog our arteries with some pork belly adobo.  So I started looking through random cookbooks for ideas on what kind of salad to make based on the ingredients we have in the fridge, and I found this recipe for misticanza in Molto Gusto.  I love arugula salads, and we had both radishes and fennel in the fridge so I was totally on board.  Luckily Alex agreed to go along for the ride.  Given the combination of ingredients we knew that there was little chance that we would love the salad, but I would give it a solid like.  It was different.  And interesting.  But you had to make sure you got a little bit of everything in every bite, because the whole was more than the sum of its parts.  Each individual part was a little boring, but together it was a nice salad with an interesting combination of ingredients.

Recipe after the jump!

Misticanza

Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking

By Mario Batali and Mark Ladner

INGREDIENTS:

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed

8 oz. radishes, trimmed

8 oz. (2 medium bunches) arugula, trimmed, washed, and spun dry

6 tbsp Lemon Vinaigrette

Maldon or other flaky sea salt

coarsely ground black pepper

Using a mandoline or other vegetable slicer, thinly shave the fennel.  Transfer to a medium bowl.  Thinly shave the radishes and add to the bowl.  Add arugula and toss gently.  Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette, tossing gently.  Season with s&p.

Serve with remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking

By Mario Batali and Mark Ladner

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp lemon marmalade (or generous pinch lemon zest)

1/2 cup evoo

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, marmalade or zest, and evoo.