Ingredients
1/2 pound sliced mortadella
7 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 of a small Meyer lemon (or 1 tablespoon chopped preserved lemon)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 anchovy filets, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
Salt
3 small heads of chicory lettuces, preferably a mix of radicchio and escarole, chopped
2 cups arugula, chopped
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/4 cup raw pistachios, very lightly toasted then chopped
Instructions
Chop the mortadella into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once warm, add all the mortadella, scattering the pieces throughout the pan. Stir and toss to coat the pieces with oil, then let the pieces sit, sizzle, and crisp up. Keep repeating this until you have an equal mix of crisp and still-soft pieces (variation in texture is a good thing in chopped salads!). Transfer the mortadella pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate and reserve the warm mortadella oil (should be about 2 tablespoons left).
Slice the Meyer lemon into thin rings, discard any seeds, and finely chop the lemon into pea-size pieces or smaller (skip this part if you’re using preserved lemon). Add the chopped lemon, garlic, anchovy, fennel seeds, and lemon juice to a large bowl. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, the 2 tablespoons reserved mortadella oil, and season with salt.
When you’re ready to serve, add the chicories, arugula, chives and half of the crispy mortadella to the large bowl, toss well, taste and adjust seasoning (e.g. salt, lemon juice).Top with the remaining mortadella and pistachios.