Arugula Salad with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese and Candied WalnutsPrint Recipe

We escaped to New Buffalo, Michigan, a couple of months ago with some dear friends. We hired a log cabin, hung out by the lake, toasted marshmallows in the outdoor fire pit and did lots of running around in the woods with the children. It was so good to be outside in wide open spaces. Of course we did the mandatory eating and drinking – great food and wine are all part of a weekend getaway.  Oh the wine…

 I served this salad as part of a dinner one evening and it went down a treat. How could it not when it contains candied walnuts, caramelized onions – and goats cheese. A very simple salad with a harmonic convergance of flavours and textures. In a word, delicious.

The wonderful thing about this salad is that it is suited to both a very casual barbeque and a more substantial dinner. I think it would go incredibly well with a roast lamb perhaps. Anyway, there lots of options and opportunities and excuses to make it – not that you need one. It is and will remain one of my all time favourites.

Caramelized Onions
4 tablespoons olive oil
454 grams/1 pound of red onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Slice the onions keeping them in full rounds. Heat oil in heavy based frying pan over medium-high heat. Tip the onions into the pan and cover, cook for 15 minutes until onion has begun to soften, stirring frequently. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring, until the onion has separated and is caramelized, a further 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, add in the balsamic vinegar and stir gently. Cool to room temperature.

Candied Walnuts
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
Large pinch of salt
1 ½ cups of walnut halves

Combine first 4 ingredients in another heavy based pan. Bring to boil, whisking. Boil 1 minute. Add walnuts; stir. Toss until syrup forms glaze on nuts, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer nuts to sheet of foil and quickly separate nuts with forks. Cool to room temperature.

Salad
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
142 grams/5 ounces arugula (rocket)
142 grams/5 ounces soft goat cheese, broken into small pieces, chilled

Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Place arugula in very large bowl and toss with enough dressing to coat lightly. Drop in onions, and distribute evenly. Add nuts and sprinkle with goat cheese and serve.

Notes: Sometimes I actually don’t use a dressing on this salad as I find that the onions have enough oil on them to coat the arugula – try it both ways and see what you prefer or you can always serve the dressing on the side.

Source: adapted from Bon Appetite, March 2010

© 2010 – 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.