Stack Salad of Beefsteak Tomatoes, Onions, Roquefort Cheese with Balsamic Syrup Drizzle

By CarolineNGa

Ingredients

• 3 large beefsteak, Creole, or vine-ripened tomatoes (12 to 14 ounces each), cored
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 12 thin slices Vidalia or other sweet onion, or 1 large Vidalia (12 to 13 ounces) onion, thinly sliced on a mandoline
• 4 ounces arugula, tough stems removed
• 5 ounces well-chilled Roquefort cheese, or other blue-veined cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Syrup, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

Preparation

Step 1

Slice each tomato into 4 thick slices. Season both sides of each slice with the salt and pepper.

Place sliced onions in the center of 4 large salad plates and arrange 4 arugula leaves in a 4-leaf clover shape on top. Place 1 tomato slice on top of each stack. Arrange a heaping tablespoon of crumbled Roquefort on top of the tomato slices. Repeat layering for 3 layers each of the onions, arugula, and tomatoes, ending with the Roquefort on top.

Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the Balsamic Syrup around and over each stack and 1/2 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil on each plate. Garnish with additional freshly ground black pepper, and serve immediately.

Bring the vinegar to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by nearly 3/4 in volume and thickened to a syrup, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely before using. (This keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator indefinitely.)

Yield: about 1/3 cup