Recipe: Sangria Salad with Royal Rose Radicchio

Parents are always coming up with creative ways to get their kids to eat vegetables.

But what about the grownups? Here’s a suggestion: just add wine. Or vodka. Or brandy.

This week, the folks at Royal Rose Radicchio released their summer recipe lineup — Salad for Adults. Each recipe calls for — you guessed it — radicchio, as well as salad dressings made from adults-only ingredients such as apricot brandy and vodka.

Here, we offer you a fresh, healthy take on sangria. (If you have leftovers, however, we don’t recommend taking them to the office for lunch the next day — unless you work at a wine magazine.)

This recipe was created by chef Brandon Miller at Mundaka restaurant in Carmel, California; it comes to Wine Access readers courtesy of Royal Rose Radicchio.

For more information about radicchio (Royal Rose offers four varieties!), as well as more Salad for Adults recipes, go to radicchio.com.

Sangria Salad with Royal Rose Radicchio

Yield: 4 servings

• 2 heads radicchio, washed and separated into leaves
• 6 oz Manchego cheese
• 1 cup fruity red wine
• 1 cup mixed dry fruit (Raisins, cherries, apricots etc.)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 each oranges, zest and juice
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup pure olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, combine wine, fruit, sugar, orange zests and juice. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes until fruit is plump.

Strain out the fruit and continue to reduce liquid to ½ cup; then cool.

In a blender, put cooled wine, vinegar and blend. With blender running slowly add oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Dress the salad with desired amount of dressing, sprinkle with poached fruit and shave cheese over the salad. Serve.

Suggested Wine Pairings

Forrest 2010 The Doctors’ 9.5 Sauvignon Blanc

Firesteed 2009 Pinot Gris

Boekenhoutskloof 2010 Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc