Recipe: Ottolenghi’s Fig Salad With Radicchio and Hazelnuts

By Yotam Ottolenghi September 17, 2014

Serves 4 as a starter

2 small red onions (7 ounces)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup hazelnuts, with skin
2 ounces radicchio leaves, roughly torn
1 1/3 cups basil leaves
1 1/3 cups watercress leaves
6 large ripe figs (10½ ounces)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and black pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 425˚F.

2) Peel the onions, halve lengthwise and cut each half into wedges 1¼ inches wide. Mix together the wedges with 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper, and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking, until the onion is soft and golden and turning crispy in parts. Remove and set aside to cool before pulling the onions apart with your hands into bite-size chunks.

3) Turn down the oven temperature to 325 F. Scatter the hazelnuts in a small roasting pan, and toast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, roughly crush with the flat side of a large knife. Assemble the salad on 4 individual plates. Mix the radicchio, basil and watercress together and place a few on the bottom of each plate. Cut the figs lengthwise into 4 or 6 pieces. Place a few fig pieces and some roasted onion on the leaves. Top with more leaves and continue with the remaining fig and onion. You want to build up the salad into a small pyramid.

4) In a small cup, whisk together the remaining 2½ tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar and cinnamon with a pinch of salt and some black pepper. Drizzle this over the salad, finish with the hazelnuts and serve.

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