chicory is a great winter vegetable that doesn’t taste at all wintry. which means that when you need a break from all those roasted roots and sautéed cabbage dishes you have a perfect seasonal substitute.

this salad was incredible easy to make and is a nice alternative to the more traditional chicory salad with blue cheese and toasted walnuts.

chicory, feta and pomegranate salad (serves 4 as a side-dish)

2 heads white chicory

1 pomegranate, seeds removed

75g feta, crumbled

2 tablespoons chopped chives

for the dressing:

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

5 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper

½ a teaspoon caster sugar (optional)

peel the leaves off the chicory head, cutting the base to release them, as you go. wash them carefully and arrange on a plate. sprinkle the pomegranate seeds and feta over the top.

mix together the salad dressing ingredients, adding sugar to taste (i don’t like a bitter dressing on bitter leaves such as chicory). drizzle this over the salad and finish with some chopped chives.