Recipes Warm Salad of Winter Fruits, Endives and Pancetta Be the first to rate & review! You can embellish this hearty salad with other winter fruits, such as grapefruit (which we used) and persimmon. More Terrific Salads By Grant Achatz Grant Achatz Instagram Chef Grant Achatz is one of the most awarded and recognized chefs in the world. Known for his innovative, emotional, and modernist style of cuisine, he has been named Best Chef in the United States by the James Beard Foundation, honored by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, and has given talks and lectures on gastronomy and design at conferences and universities around the world.Grant began working in restaurants as soon as he could walk. His parents owned a diner in Michigan, and he spent his childhood years working alongside his family. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America at age 21, Grant spent a short time at Charlie Trotter's before finding his mentor in chef Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. Grant worked for a total of 5 years at the French Laundry, eventually rising to sous chef. During his time in California, he also spent a year working at La Jota vineyards. A short stage at elBulli in Roses, Spain was exceptionally influential and led Grant to seek out his first executive chef position at Trio in Evanston, IL. It was there that his creativity and desire to innovate flourished. In 2002 and 2003, respectively, Grant was recognized by Food & Wine Magazine as one of the nation's Best New Chefs and named the Rising Star Chef by the James Beard Foundation. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 27, 2015 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © Reed Davis Yield: 8 Ingredients 1 pomegranate, halved crosswise 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons canola oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 3 cups water 1 cup sugar 2 quinces—peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges each 4 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 large endives, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 2 firm ripe Bartlett pears—peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon Directions Using a large citrus reamer, squeeze 1/2 cup of juice from the pomegranate halves. Transfer to a small saucepan and boil until it is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pomegranate syrup to a small bowl and whisk in the vinegar and then the oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the quinces and set a small lid or heatproof saucer directly on top to keep the wedges submerged. Cook over moderate heat until just tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the quinces to a plate to cool. Cut the quinces into thin wedges. In a large skillet, cook the pancetta over moderate heat until crisp. Drain the pancetta; reserve 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet. Return the skillet to high heat, add the endives and cook, tossing, until just warmed through. Add the quinces, pears and pancetta, season with salt and pepper and toss gently. Transfer the salad to a platter. Drizzle with some of the dressing, sprinkle with the tarragon and serve. Pass the remaining dressing separately. Suggested Pairing A Viognier with overtones of pears and peaches is a good match for the fruits in this salad. Rate it Print