Mango, Blueberry and Caramelized Onion Salad....

Believe it or not, this is one of the best salads I have had in my life!
Simply make this recipe just as it says and wow your mouth!

Mango, Blueberry and Caramelized Onion Salad

Illustrated and edited by: Brenna Bowers

Ingredients:

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

½ Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper

Salad:

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

1 large red onion, sliced in 1/8” thin half moons

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 medium mango, peeled, seeded, cut in into bite-size pieces

2 cups fresh blueberries

2 ounces goat cheese

12 ounces fresh arugula or spinach (about 4 cups)

Directions:

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:

Whisk the balsamic vinegar, sugar, mustard and garlic together. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste

Salad:

Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until they are slightly browned. Set aside to cool. In the same skillet, sauté the onions in the olive oil, add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar (Tip 1). Cook low and very slow stirring once in a while until the onions turn a golden brown color all the way through.

Meanwhile, slice the mango and wash the blueberries and greens. Place all the ingredients (caramelized onions, mango, blueberries, crumbled up bits of goat cheese, pine nuts and greens) into a large bowl and add half of the dressing and toss(adding more dressing only if necessary).

Tip 1: Caramelizing Onions: The purpose of caramelizing onions is to draw out the natural sugars that are in onions. The trick to caramelizing onions is to keep the flame at a low temperature. This process takes quite a bit of time but is well worth the wait! You never want the onions to just brown on the edges (that means they are burning) rather you want the onions to turn golden brown all the way through. The key is to stir the onions once in a while and if you feel they are beginning to burn, add a dash of water to steam the mixture. Caramelizing onions is a labor of love….but worth it!