Escarole Salad with White Beans, Garlic and Anchovy Oil

Steps

1. 1

   Prep the escarole

   • Trim the base of the escarole head and remove any yellowed or bruised outer leaves.
   • Rinse thoroughly under cool water to remove any grit.
   • Pat completely dry with a clean kitchen towel—excess moisture will cause the warm dressing to bead off rather than coat the leaves.
   • Using a cutting board and knife, core out the dense center stem and discard.
   • Coarsely chop the remaining leaves into 2-inch pieces.

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   Ready when: Escarole is rinsed, dried, trimmed, and chopped into 2-inch pieces

   Tip: Don't skip drying the escarole; a salad spinner works perfectly. Wet leaves won't absorb the warm oil dressing as effectively.

2. 2

   Assemble salad base

   • Transfer the chopped escarole to a large serving bowl.
   • Drain and rinse the white beans under cold water in a colander to remove excess sodium and starch, shaking gently to remove surface water.
   • Add the beans to the bowl with the escarole and toss together lightly.
   • Set aside at room temperature.
   • This can sit for up to 30 minutes before dressing.

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   Ready when: Escarole and beans are combined in the bowl

   Tip: Combining the beans and greens at room temperature prevents the beans from becoming too soft when the warm oil is added.

3. 3

   Infuse the anchovy oil

   • Pour the olive oil into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat.
   • Once the oil shimmers slightly, add the minced anchovy fillets and sliced garlic.
   • Stir constantly with a wooden spoon as the oil warms.
   • The garlic will soften and release its aroma within 2–3 minutes and should turn a light pale golden color.
   • The anchovies will begin to dissolve and dissolve into the oil within 3–4 minutes total, creating a cohesive dressing.
   • The oil should be warm and fragrant but the garlic should still be tender, not crispy or brown.

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   Ready when: Garlic is light pale golden and fragrant; anchovies have fully dissolved into the oil

   Tip: If garlic begins to brown at the edges, remove the pan from heat immediately—burnt garlic will make the entire dressing bitter. Watch the pan closely; it heats faster than you expect.

4. 4

   Finish and dress

   • Remove the saucepan from heat.
   • Immediately stir in the red wine vinegar and red pepper flakes, mixing well so the vinegar disperses throughout the warm oil.
   • Taste the dressing and adjust for salt and pepper; remember that the anchovies and beans already contribute saltiness, so start cautiously.
   • Pour the warm anchovy oil with all the garlic slices and pepper flakes directly over the escarole and beans in the bowl.
   • Using salad servers or tongs, toss gently but thoroughly for 30–45 seconds, turning the greens to coat evenly.
   • The residual heat of the oil will gently wilt the outer leaves while the inner leaves remain tender-crisp.
   • Serve immediately while the dressing is still warm.

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   Ready when: Escarole is evenly coated with warm oil; outer leaves are gently wilted and greens remain tender-crisp

   Tip: Toss immediately after dressing; if left to sit more than a few minutes, the greens will continue to wilt. The salad is best served within 5 minutes of dressing for optimal texture contrast.