Mixed Chicory, Heirloom Apple, Pear and Toasted Pine Nut Salad

Recipe Date: November 14, 2025
Difficulty: Easy
Measurements: Imperial (US)

I love a mix of Castelfranco radicchio, a yellow speckled variety, deep red treviso, red and yellow Belgian endive, curly endive, escarole and/or frisee. You can use romaine if you can’t find any chicories at the market, but the greens won’t have that pleasant bitterness found in chicories.

Italian pine nuts have a cream color, long slender shape and a distinct sweet piney flavor. They release their oil and flavors as you chew them and have slight starchiness which is addictive when you eat them out of hand, lightly toasted. Run out of pine nuts? Add toasted walnuts, pecans, pistachios or hazelnuts instead.

A plethora of heirloom apples and pears come to market in the fall. Look for Heirloom varieties with crazy names like Arkansas Black, Golden Russet, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Ashmead’s Kernal. They are all sweet, crisp and delicious yet each has a distinctive flavor. If you can’t find heirloom apples you can use Fuji or Cosmic Crisp. They are also delicious but with less history. Barlett, Bosc, Anjou, Comice and Forelle are all Heirloom pear varieties that frequent the greengrocer.

If you are in the mood, this salad is also delicious with the addition shaved parmesan, caciocavallo or crumbled blue cheese. Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 8 cups bite-sized mixed chicory leaves, washed and spun dry – escarole, radicchio, Belgian endive, frisee
  • 1 large heirloom apple, cored, quartered and sliced thinly
  • 1 large heirloom pear cored, quartered and sliced thinly
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced shallot
  • 1½ tablespoons Moscatell Vinegar or other lightly sweet but tangy vinegar
  • ½ cup toasted Pine Nuts

Directions

1. Place the chicories in a large salad bowl.

2. Add the sliced apple and pear to the escarole. Drizzle with olive oil and toss.

3. Sprinkle the greens evenly with salt and sugar. Grind fresh black pepper over. Toss.

4. Add the vinegar and shallots and toss one more time. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Add more olive or vinegar to adjust the acidity to taste. Sprinkle the pine nuts over and toss again to distribute evenly.

Note: If you don’t have a sweet tangy vinegar, use cider or red wine vinegar mixed with ½ teaspoon sugar.

Print Recipe

DRINK