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Zuni Cafe radicchio salad takes winter greens to a whole new level with savory anchovy vinaigrette, fresh bread crumbs, and grated egg.
Why we love this recipe
This inventive salad bears the mark of all food from Judy Rodgers’ iconic Zuni Cafe in San Francisco: It’s the ideal version of itself. This salad has elements of:
- Savoriness
- Tang
- Balanced bitterness
- Crunch and crispness
- Borderline-magical egg confetti (bet you didn’t see that one coming)
You can read the details of my unrequited crush on the restaurant here, where I first shared this recipe — or just get cooking below.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Radicchio is a fabulous winter salad ingredient. It’s earthy and bitter in varying degrees depending on the variety. The tangy vinegar and savory anchovies balance it beautifully, and the olive oil, bread crumbs and egg add a pleasing mellowness. Look for crisp, tight heads with minimal browning.
- Any bread that you like can make good bread crumbs. Here I’ve used the ends of a good old whole wheat sandwich loaf and pulsed them in a mini food processor. One to two slices of bread makes the required 3/4 cup of crumbs.
- Anchovy is an umami powerhouse. Don’t be afraid of using it here. Similar to Caesar salad, it disappears into the dressing and provides a well-integrated savory element rather than standing out.
- Here’s how to make perfect hard boiled eggs.
How to make it
Here’s wha you’ll do to make this winter salad shine. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- You can make the dressing right in the serving bowl. First, stir the shallot and anchovy together with the vinegar and set aside while you prep the other ingredients. The vinegar takes the edge off the shallot.
- To prep the radicchio, wash and dry it, then remove any overly soft outer leaves. Quarter each head and then cut out the core (with a single diagonal cut to each quarter — see video for visual cues). Then slice each quarter crosswise.
- To toast the breadcrumbs, heat a tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the breadcrumbs and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp and golden brown.
- When all elements are prepared, whisk the remaining olive oil and salt and the pepper into the shallot mixture to finish the dressing. Add the shredded radicchio and the toasted breadcrumbs to the bowl. Over the bowl, press the hard-boiled eggs through a mesh sieve or grate them on the small holes of a box grater. Toss everything together and serve immediately.
Expert tips and FAQs
To make fresh breadcrumbs, tear into bite-sized pieces virtually any bread that you enjoy eating. Place in a food processor or clean coffee or spice grinder and pulse until the crumbs are as fine as you’d like. Depending on the bread, 1 to 2 slices should yield 3/4 cup of crumbs. Toast according to directions in recipe.
Sure thing. If you prefer, you can toast the breadcrumbs in the oven or toaster oven.
Preheat to 400° F with a rack in the center. Drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt over the breadcrumbs and toss, kneading slightly with your fingers, to distribute.
Spread the breadcrumbs on a sheet pan or toaster oven pan and bake for 6 minutes (or a bit longer in the toaster oven) or until golden brown, tossing once or twice if necessary.
Zuni Cafe shredded radicchio salad is best shortly after tossing.
If you need to make it in advance, keep the dressing, radicchio, bread crumbs, and egg separate and toss just before serving.
Store any leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
More favorite winter salads
Zuni Cafe’s Shredded Radicchio with Anchovy Vinaigrette, Bread Crumbs, & Sieved Egg
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (45 grams) fresh bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
- 1 large shallot, minced
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium heads radicchio, about 12 ounces/(340 grams)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
Instructions
- In a large serving bowl, stir together the shallot, anchovy, and vinegar. Let sit while you prepare the breadcrumbs and radicchio.
- Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a small frying pan. Add the breadcrumbs and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
- Remove any wilted outer leaves from the radicchio. Wash, dry, quarter and core each head. Slice each quarter crosswise into 1/8-inch slices.
- Into the bowl with the shallot mixture, whisk the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper.
- Add the radicchio and the breadcrumbs to the bowl.
- Over the bowl, press the eggs through a mesh sieve or grate them on the small holes of a box grater. Toss salad and serve right away.
Notes
- To make fresh breadcrumbs, tear into bite-sized pieces virtually any bread that you enjoy eating. Place in a food processor or clean coffee or spice grinder and pulse until the crumbs are as fine as you’d like. Depending on the bread, 1 to 2 slices should yield 3/4 cup of crumbs. Toast according to directions in recipe.
- If you prefer, you can toast the breadcrumbs in the oven or toaster oven. Preheat to 400° F. Drizzle one tablespoon of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt over the breadcrumbs and toss, kneading slightly with your fingers, to distribute. Spread the breadcrumbs on a sheet pan or toaster oven pan and bake for 6 minutes (or a bit longer in the toaster oven) or until golden brown, tossing once or twice if necessary.
- Salad is best shortly after tossing. If you need to make it in advance, keep the dressing, radicchio, bread crumbs, and egg separate and toss just before serving.
- Store any leftovers tightly sealed in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
