Arugula Salad with Balsamic Onions and Feta Cheese Toasts

Here is the salad we had with our soup.  The onions make it really tasty!  Usually I use goat cheese on the bread but I had feta in the house so that is what I used last night.   The below measurements are not exact as I threw this together last night.  If you need precise measurements let me know and I will keep track the next time I make this.

Ingredients:

arugula

½ of a medium onion (I usually use red onions for this but didn’t have any in the house so I used a Vidalia), sliced into round or half moons

handful of pine nuts

balsamic vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and pepper

french bread

feta cheese

Directions:

Rinse the arugula and let dry.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Slice the onions a place on a cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and balsamic vinegar (about 1-2 tablespoons).  Stir together and then bake for about 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, slice the bread into approx. ¼” slices, put on a baking sheet  and brush or drizzle both sides with olive oil (if you brush each piece with olive oil you get a more consistent flavor and golden brown color after baking than drizzling) and sprinkle with salt.  If you want to add the cheese, do so now.  I put the feta on just a few slices and left some slices without cheese to dip in the soup.   After the onions have been cooking for 20 minutes, take the pan out of the oven and add the pine nuts. Stir the mixture and put  back in the oven and put the pan with the bread in at the same time.  Cook for 10 minutes.  At this point the onions should be done.  Check them about half way through this 10 minutes to ensure they are not burning…if they are you can take them out sooner.  At this point flip the bread over and cook for approximately another 10 minutes (they should be golden brown, if they are getting dark it is time to take them out).

To assemble:  Place the arugula on a platter.  Sprinkle with a bit of salt (and pepper if you like).  If the pan with the onion mixture looks dry add another tablespoon or two of olive oil and one of the balsamic vinegar.  Toss and arrange on top of the arugula, drizzling all the “dressing” on the greens.  Place the toasted feta bread around the platter and enjoy!