Make the dressing. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and swirl them around. You want them to cook on a low simmer for about 5 minutes, until soft but not browned at all.
Add the smoked paprika and red pepper flakes and swirl the oil again. Add the grainy mustard, chopped dates, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Bring this mixture up to a boil for about a minute, breaking up the chunks of dates with a spatula. After a minute, place a lid on top of the saucepan and turn off the heat, keeping the dressing warm.
In a medium bowl, toss the julienned celery root with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Arrange the chopped radicchio in a single layer on a large serving platter. Spoon the warm dressing evenly over the radicchio. You may have to break up the fudgy bits of dates to distribute it as evenly as possible. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter the dressed celery root on top.
Garnish the salad with the chopped pistachios and parsley. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
It's important to plate this on a platter that's large enough to accommodate a single layer of the radicchio. You really want to get the dressing on as much of the leaves, as evenly as possible.
Chopped toasted and salted pumpkin seeds are a great nut-free substitution for pistachios.
My celery root radicchio salad features a tangy, sweet, and smoky warm date dressing. Crunchy salted pistachios mingle with the bitter radicchio, fresh celery root, and peppery parsley. Perfect side salad for a rich holiday spread.