Escarole salad with mustard and guanciale breadcrumbs
Escarole is on the mild end of the spectrum as far as bitterness goes, but it is still best dressed and eaten with fatty things that will mitigate some of that bitterness. Guanciale is nearly all fat and it crisps as it renders, leaving you with both tiny crispy bits to nibble on and a glorious, shiny pool of pork fat in which to toast breadcrumbs. The very best of every world.
This is an edited extract from Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman (Hardie Grant, £22)
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
Step 1
Combine the shallot and vinegar in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Leave to sit for a few minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the guanciale in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the guanciale has rendered most of its fat and is starting to brown and crisp, for 10-12 minutes. Do not try to do this faster, or it will brown and crisp before the fat is rendered, and fat is what we are after.
Step 3
Add the breadcrumbs and chilli flakes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until the breadcrumbs are nicely golden brown and toasted, for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, stirring to mix it in.
Step 4
Toss the escarole, parsley, mustard and shallot with the vinegar in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and add the olive oil. Give the salad another toss and transfer to a large serving platter. Top with some of the toasted breadcrumbs, serving any extra alongside.
