Grilled Pepper, Endive, and Radicchio Salad with Goat Cheese, Baby Arugula, and Candied Walnuts

As you will soon find out, I'm a bit of a goat cheese freak. It's one of my absolute favorite ingredients. In fact, I use it so much, it's one of my no-brainer items on my grocery list, like milk, eggs, and bread. Rest assured, there will be many more goat cheese recipes forthcoming, but I'm starting off here with the salad I made my husband and me for lunch today.

There are many possible versions of this salad, so feel free to make it your own. My inspiration comes from a very similar salad I saw on Create TV's Nick Stellino Cooking with Friends, but I combined his grilled ingredients with some leftover arugula, radicchio, and candied walnuts I had on hand from my behemoth of a Valentine's feast. Though I had enjoyed the Stellino recipe when I first made it months ago, the candied walnuts I included this time around added a nice, subtle sweetness that complemented the strong flavors of the goat cheese and grilled vegetables while adding a slight crunch to the salad.

This recipe is great for lunch for two anytime or as a side salad to serve at a summer barbecue. 

Grilled Pepper, Endive, and Radicchio Salad with Goat Cheese, Baby Arugula, and Candied Walnuts

Ingredients:

1 endive

1 head of radicchio

1 red bell pepper

4 oz. of crumbled goat cheese

2-3 C of baby arugula

2 T of extra virgin olive oil

2 T of balsamic vinegar

cracked black pepper, to taste

1 cup of prepared candied walnuts (see recipe on this page)

stove-top grill

Directions:

1. After rinsing the endive, radicchio, and bell pepper, pat dry. Then, cut the endive in half, the radicchio in half, and the bell pepper in fourths lengthwise, cutting off and discarding the tough roots and stem on the vegetables. Brush the cut veggies lightly with a bit of olive oil on all sides.
2. Heat a stove-top grill to a medium-high heat.
3. Once the grill is hot, place the vegetables onto the grill, allowing them to char a bit on all sides, at least 5 minutes for each side.
4. Once the vegetables are sporting some nice grill marks, remove them from the heat and place them on a cutting board. Cut the veggies into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
5. Add the still warm vegetables to a large serving bowl and toss in about half of the crumbled goat cheese.
6. Add the arugula and most of the remaining goat cheese and continue to toss the grilled vegetables, arugula, and melting goat cheese.
7. Pour about 2 T of olive oil and 2 T of balsamic vinegar over the salad and crack some black pepper over the salad. Gently toss the ingredients one more time before plating the salad.
8. Sprinkle the plated salad with remaining goat cheese and candied walnuts and serve immediately. This is one salad you don't want to eat cold.

Now, doesn't that look good?

Enjoy!

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