Ingredients
Salade
6 red onions
1 bulb of garlic
1/2 a bunch of fresh thyme (15 g/1/2 oz)
100 g (3 1/2 oz) blanched hazelnuts
Olive oil
600 g (1 1/4 lb) mixed bitter leaves, such as chicory, radicchio, Castelfranco, Treviso, dandelions
Dressing
1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (50 mL) Barolo red wine
2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar
Preparation
Turn the oven on to full whack (240°C/475°F). Place the unpeeled onions in a snug-fitting dish and roast for 1 hour, or until soft and slightly burnt. After 30 minutes, halve the garlic bulb across the middle and add to the dish. Toss the thyme sprigs and hazelnuts in a little olive oil and sprinkle over the onions for the last 5 minutes. Remove and leave to cool.
Trim and separate the bitter leaves (I like to take a bit of pride in this and prep each leaf depending on its size – tear up the big ones, leave the little delicate ones whole, you get the idea). For the dressing, squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl (discarding the skins) and mash well, then mix in the mustard and a pinch of sea salt. Whisking constantly, drizzle in 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then, still whisking, let the dressing down with the Barolo and vinegar.
Squeeze the sweet onions out of their crispy skins into a serving bowl, breaking them up a bit as you go. Season with salt and black pepper, then drizzle over the dressing. Top with the bitter leaves, tossing with your fingertips until beautifully dressed. Crush the hazelnuts in a pestle and mortar until fairly fine, then scatter over the salad.
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