This salad speaks of summer and when I first thought of pairing the beans with the radicchio, I knew it would taste splendid with the anise-flavored orange vinaigrette. My maternal grandmother, Adeline Gentile, made this vinaigrette more than any other, and so star anise and Sambuca were staples in her kitchen. She spoke only Italian and had learned how to make the vinaigrette from her mother in Italy before emigrating to the United States. My grandmother’s house was flanked by the houses owned by her two sisters and these three houses formed a little community where we always felt safe, welcome, and extremely well fed!
Yield : Serves 4
Ingredients
Anise-orange vinaigrette:
- 1 shallot, chopped
- Juice and zest of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground star anise
- 1 tablespoon Sambuca liqueur
- 1 cup olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Fava and yellow beans:
- 1 ½ cups shelled fava beans
- 1 ½ cups trimmed yellow wax beans
- 2 cups coarsely chopped radicchio
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese
Directions
1. To make the vinaigrette: In a bowl, mix together the shallot and orange zest. Add the orange juice, honey, vinegar, star anise, and Sambuca. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. If using within 3 or 4 hours, stir in the basil and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Stir the basil into the vinaigrette an hour or so before serving.
3. To make the beans: In a large pot of lightly salted water, blanch the fava beans for 3 to 6 minutes or until tender. Drain and immediately submerge in ice-cold water. Drain again. Dry on paper towels.
4. In another large pot of lightly salted water, blanch the yellow beans for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Drain and immediately submerge in ice cold water. Drain again. Dry on paper towels.
5. In a large bowl, toss together the radicchio, fava, and yellow beans. Add as much vinaigrette as needed (probably about 1 cup) and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve the remaining vinaigrette for a later use.
6. Divide the salad among 4 serving plates. Top each serving with goat cheese and serve immediately.
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