Warm Arugula Salad

Warm Arugula Salad 

–Bon Appetite Magazine February 2001 with my comments

Roast 1 head of garlic – in the oven about 40 min. in ½ cup olive oil  (I take them apart and cut the little ends off of each to make it easier later, and remember to save the olive oil that will be used later for finishing the dressing).  When cool pop those sweethearts out of there shells.  Be sure to make extra cloves to make up for every-other one that you will want to pop into your mouth.  Smash them up a bit with the fork and add to your dressing below including the remaining olive oil.

For the dressing, mix together and let sit:

¼ finely chopped shallots

4Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

2Tablespoons fresh Thyme (I cheat and use about 2 teaspoons dried)

4 tablespoons olive oil and later add the remaining olive oil from the roasted garlic 

Salt and pepper generously and taste

Wash and Prepare the Arugula and let sit quietly in a happy place in your fridge. Note: The dressing is way more than enough for one bunch, and can stretch to two bunches, if you trim and clean it and keep most all of it like I do.  (At our house I use half the bunch and half the dressing one night for three of us, because it’s just too good to have any go to waste).

2 large, red onions, sliced thin and separated into rings and drizzled with 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and peppered well and broiled in the oven until it is delightful to smell and conceive the eating of them

1 cup grated, smoked cheese (4 oz) to top the salad with, I use Gouda almost always, though it calls for mozzarella; I chop mine too

Assemble your Salad: pour your tasty dressing, the one that you have tasted to be certain it is salted and peppered plenty enough, and carefully toss it with your happy greens.  Add the hot onions complete with the hot olive oil from the pan, give a little toss.  Then beautify it with your Gouda!

Enjoy immediately!

Oh the original recipe includes another step for you “who want more”, types.  

Croutons

Melt ¼ stick butter in a large frying pan

Add 6 chopped cloves of garlic

Add chopped up day-old baguette bread

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

Fry it all up (before assembling salad) until it is crunchy and chewy and delectable.  Top your salad!