Red Lettuce with Balsamic Onions

Adapted from Ina Garten, Food Network

I know it sounds super simple, but it is sooooooo good. And you can use any leftover onions to throw on top of a cheese pizza or shove into a sandwich or top your bag o' lettuce the next day. This makes a crazy amount of dressing, so save for use throughout the week!

3 small red onions (or 1 great big one)
1/4 c good (but not your best) balsamic vinegar
1 c olive oil
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1 t freshly ground pepper (I use my coffee grinder for this since I don't drink coffee anymore)
6 T minced shallots (2 large)
2 t dijon mustard
1/4 good red wine vinegar
2 heads red leaf lettuce (or a bag or two if you are lazy like me)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cut onions in half and then into 1/4 in or so slices. Toss with balsamic, 1/4 c olive oil, 1 t salt and 1/2 t pepper. Spread out on foil covered rimmed baking sheet and bake for 12-15 min.

Remove from onion and toss with 2 more T of balsamic (I skip this step, personally.) Allow to cool.

Whisk shallots, mustard, red wine vinegar, 1/2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper in a small bowl. Add 3/4 cup olive oil while stirring (I just shake everything together in a lidded tupperware cup until emulsified, but I already admitted I am lazy.)

Put out your lettuce, dress with vinegrette to taste (I don't put much on), top with onions, sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper and serve. You can also add avocado if you are feeling fancy!

Salmon with Agrodolce Sauce

from Melissa Roberts at Gourmet Magazine

yield: Makes 4 servings
active time: 15 min
total time: 35 min

"This classic Italian sauce, with its combination of balsamic vinegar and a touch of sugar, lends deep sweetness and a hit of acidity to the meaty sautéed fish." It is super crazy easy and quick to boot. I served it on Father's Day after coming home from camping. Put the salmon and the red onions on the grocery list and you should be good to go.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (1 inch thick) with skin
• 2 medium red onions (about 1 pound total), each cut into 8 wedges
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar (use the cheap stuff here)
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then cook, skin side up, until undersides form a golden crust, 12 to 15 minutes. Turn fish over and cook until just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions until golden brown and crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until sauce is syrupy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

Spoon onions with sauce onto plates and top with salmon, skin side down.