Shaved Fennel and Apple Salad With Pickled Red Onions, Delicata Squash, and Pecorino

Image Copyright © 2007, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
Chef Mikey Price is the executive chef and owner of Market Table, located in Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood. Previously, he was the sous chef at The Harrison and the executive chef at The Mermaid Inn. He has received critical acclaim and has been featured in outlets such as Food & Wine, The New York Times, New York Magazine and The Martha Stewart Show.

Ingredients:
• 1 red onion (the redder, the better)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 delicata squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in half moons
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 small head of frissée or 1/2 larger head
• 2 heads of fennel
• 2 crisp apples (Honeycrisp, Crispin, or similar)
• 2 sprigs flatleaf parsley
• 1/4 cup roasted hulled pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup red grapes, halved
• 3 ounces shaved pecorino cheese

Preparation:
1. On a Japanese mandoline shave red onion as thinly as possible. Place shaved red onion in a small bowl, add rice vinegar and toss to coat. Reserve.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the squash with salt, pepper, and olive oil until evenly coated. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. In a small mixing bowl whisk together red wine vinegar, canola oil, sugar, salt and pepper until well combined. Clean frissée by cutting away the dark green leaves, being careful to reserve the light green and yellow leaves, and washing it in cold water. Once clean, drain to remove water and pat dry if necessary.

4. In a large mixing bowl shave the heads of fennel and apples as thinly as possible using a Japanese mandoline. Add leaves of parsley, frissée, and the sliced red onions drained of the rice vinegar. Mix the vinaigrette well and dress the salad moderately. Mix carefully, trying not to mash up the apple. Plate in mounds, with the squash on the bottom, trying to keep some nice slices of apple on top of the salad.

5. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and grapes. Top the salad with the shaved pecorino and enjoy.

This Salad recipe was published in 'Martha Stewart Living Radio, Thanks giving Hotline Recipes 2010 - p46'.