Romaine Salad with Whiskey Onions, Cornbread, and Buttermilk Dressing
From Keys to the Kitchen by Aida Mollenkamp.- Ingredients:
- Cornbread Croutons:
- 12 oz./340 g. cornbread
- Pickled radish:
- 1 small watermelon radish (or 10 small breakfast radishes)
- 1/4 c./60 mL. brown rice vinegar
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- Caramelized onions:
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 Tbsp. whiskey or water
- Buttermilk dressing:
- 1/4 c./60 mL. buttermilk
- 1/4 c./60 mL. creme fraiche
- 1/4 c./10 g. minced fresh chives
- 2 Tbsp. minced fresh Italian parsley
- 1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
- Salad:
- 1 lb./455 g. romaine hearts, torn into bite-sized pieces
For the croutons:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit/177 degrees Celcius/gas 4 and arrange a rack in the middle. Break up the corn bread into large pieces (about 1 inch/2.5 cm squares) and place on a baking sheet. Toast until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
For the pickled radish:
Meanwhile, using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the radish about 1/8 in./3 mm. thick. In a nonreactive bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, and salt together until dissolved. Add the radish slices and place in the fridge until ready to use, at least 10 minutes; stir before using.
For the onions:
Meanwhile, add the butter to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the onion and sugar and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deep brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully add the whiskey and stir to incorporate and scrape up any browned bits in the pan. Set aside.
For the dressing:
Place all ingredients in a medium nonreactive bowl and whisk until smooth an evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Set aside to help develop the flavor, at least 5 minutes.
For the salad:
Place the romaine in a serving bowl and scatter the caramelized onions, radish, and cornbread on top. Drizzle with 1/2 c./120 mL. of the dressing and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.