ROASTED CIPOLLINI AND ESCAROLE SALAD

SERVES:4 to 6

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Cipollini onions have more residual sugar than regular yellow or white onions; they have more in common with Vidalia onions in that way. When roasted, those additional sugars caramelize beautifully, creating a melt-in-your-mouth texture. We wanted to develop a foolproof roasting method to ensure perfectly caramelized cipollini onions every time—plus a great recipe to use them in. Halving the cipollinis and roasting on the middle oven rack ensured that they cooked through until buttery and tender at the same rate as they browned and caramelized. With the goal of keeping this sweet, buttery flavor front and center, we kept this salad complementary to its northern Italian roots. Crisp and slightly bitter escarole and frisée paired well with the onions’ roasted sweetness. Crunchy prosciutto and creamy blue cheese made it a meal. A tangy cracked caraway seed dressing added the final flavor balance. You can use prepeeled cipollini onions in this recipe; simply halve them through the root end and proceed with step 2.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ pounds cipollini onions
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 4 ounces thin-sliced prosciutto
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1½ teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted and cracked
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 head escarole (1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ head frisée (3 ounces), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (½ cup)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add onions and cook for 30 seconds. Drain in colander and run under cold water until onions are cool enough to handle, about 1 minute. Transfer onions to paper towel–lined plate and pat dry. Trim root and stem ends, then peel and discard onion skins. Halve onions through root end and transfer to bowl.
2. Add 3 tablespoons oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to bowl with onions and toss to coat. Arrange onions, cut side down, on parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet and roast until well browned and softened, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through roasting. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
3. Line plate with double layer of paper towels. Lay prosciutto slices in single layer on prepared plate and microwave until rendered and beginning to crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then crumble into ½-inch pieces.
4. Whisk vinegar, mustard, caraway seeds, honey, and ¼ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining 3 tablespoons oil until combined. Add escarole, frisée, onions, and prosciutto and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving platter, and sprinkle with blue cheese. Serve.