Puntarelle are the inner hearts of cicoria catalogna, a kind of chicory — and one of the greatest treats of springtime in Rome. The hearts are trimmed out of the large heads and cut into thin shreds that curl up when immersed in ice water. Since puntarelle are not easy to find in this country, a mix of Belgian endive and celery serves as a wonderful substitute: Together, they have the same addictive bittersweet-crisp quality.
Choose Belgian endive with tight firm heads and no brown edges. A newly available variety has petals with red-tinged edges that would look pretty in the salad. Use only the tender, crisp inner stalks from a bunch of celery
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Mix garlic, anchovies, and salt in small bowl. Mash with back of wooden spoon or firm spatula until paste forms. Whisk in oil, vinegar, and mustard. Season dressing to taste with salt and generously with pepper.
Step 2
Place endive and celery in large bowl of ice water. Refrigerate 1 hour. Drain well. Place in clean bowl. Toss with anchovy dressing and serve.
