Fig, roasted onion and sourdough salad with apple dressing

Name: Fig, roasted onion and sourdough salad with apple dressing
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 4 red onions, peeled, quartered; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp balsamic glaze; 2 cups bite-sized chunks of fresh sourdough bread; 2½ tbsp olive oil; 6 figs, quartered; ½ cup pomegranate arils; 150g goat's curd (ash covered if possible)

Katrina Meynink

March 30, 2021

Slow-roasted onions, toasted sourdough, fresh figs and goat's cheese intermingle in this sweet and shiny salad.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

I'm not sure this can even be called a salad because it is lacking in anything green, but there are vegetables and fruit and it's completely indulgent and worthy of your Easter spread, even if just on looks alone. The goat's curd adds a very necessary creamy tart offset to the sweetness of the fig and the slow-roasted onions. It is at its shiny best when served while the bread is still warm and toasty, with the cheese melting and the dressing being absorbed. Delicious!

Ingredients

4 red onions, peeled, quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic glaze
2 cups bite-sized chunks of fresh sourdough bread
2½ tbsp olive oil
6 figs, quartered
½ cup pomegranate arils
150g goat's curd (ash covered if possible)

Apple dressing

4 tbsp apple juice
2½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional). Line a large baking tray with baking paper and spread out the onion quarters. Drizzle over two tablespoons of olive oil and the balsamic glaze. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 90 minutes. If the onions are taking on too much colour, reduce the heat to 150C fan-forced (170C conventional) and continue to cook.
Step 2
Lay the sourdough pieces on a tray lined with baking paper and drizzle with the two and a half tablespoons of olive oil. For the last 10 minutes of cooking the onions, add the sourdough chunks and cook until golden and crisp.
Step 3
Allow the onions and bread to cool for a few minutes before adding to a bowl with the fig quarters and pomegranate arils. Very, very gently, using your hands, toss the ingredients to combine. Add to a serving platter and crumble over the goat's curd.
Step 4
To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, giving it a minute to seep into the bread. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.