Obviously the dressing plays into bringing a sweet New Year, but the holiday references do not stop there! The walnuts are candied in date syrup, which is a play on the typical Iraqi charoset served at Passover. Oh, and endive and radicchio 100 percent could count as chazeret (the second bitter herb on the Seder plate). What is Jewish food if not a jumping-off point for thoughtful and introspective conversation about our past, present, and future?!
And if symbolism wasn’t enough, this salad is a favorite of mine because it’s so easy to prep in advance! Go ahead and candy your nuts whenever. Then, any time the day you’re serving, lay out all the endive, radicchio, and parsley on a platter and cover with damp paper towels and plastic to hold in the fridge. Even the dressing can be made hours ahead, and that includes the apples, which can be added in to prevent them from turning brown. And since this book is about noshing, this recipe pivots seamlessly into a finger food when you’re in need of hors d’oeuvres. Just assemble the components in individual leaves of endive.
