- 6
Ingredients
- 1 med. red onion, sliced into thin rings
- 1/2 c. red wine vinegar
- 1 sm. head each romaine, radicchio, red-leaf lettuce and curly endive
- 1/2 c. (2 oz.) pine nuts, toasted
- 3 to 4 whole scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 3 oz. Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler into thin curls
- 3 oz. thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma, cut into bite size squares
- 1 c. light packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 c. light packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 8 lg. cloves garlic, cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 2/3 About 2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 to 6 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 About 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Assembling the salad:
Soak onions in 1/2 cup red wine vinegar for 30 minutes to decrease sharpness. Tear lettuce into bite sized pieces. Toss lettuce with all but 3 tablespoons of the pine nuts, scallions, 1/2 of cheese, 1/2 of prosciutto, and all of basil.
Making the dressing:
In a medium skillet, slowly cook the garlic in the olive oil over low heat for about 8 minutes, until garlic barely colored. Remove garlic with slotted spoon and reserve. Turn to medium-high heat and add vinegars. Cook a few moments until acid is diffused slightly. Add brown sugar to taste & bubble slowly for 1 minute. Taste for sweet/tart balance and adjust with more balsamic vinegar or sugar to taste. If too sharp, let boil for a few minutes. Stir in reserved garlic and season with salt and pepper.
To serve:
Top with drained onion and scatter rest of pine nuts, cheese, and prosciutto over the salad. Reheat the dressing, stir vigorously to blend, and spoon over the salad. Serve immediately.