Wild chicory is used for this Lebanese mountain salad. The sweetness of the caramelized onion topping is a contrast to the slightly bitter leaves. You can sometimes find bunches of wild chicory, which has long, dark green leaves, in Middle Eastern stores, but ordinary curly endive—what the French call chicorée—will do very well. The salad can also be made with dandelion leaves.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　About 2 pounds curly endive

　　2 large onions, sliced

　　6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　4 to 6 garlic cloves, crushed

　　Salt and black pepper

　　2 lemons

　　

Step 1

Trim the stem ends of the endive and remove any discolored bits, then wash the leaves. Boil in salted water for a couple of minutes, or until it is soft, then drain and press out the excess water. Cut up the leaves into pieces 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long.

　　

Step 2

Fry the onions in the oil in a large pan over medium heat until brown and caramelized, stirring often. Remove about three-quarters of the onions to use as the topping, draining them on paper towels. Add the garlic to the onions remaining in the pan, and as soon as the aroma rises, put in the endive. Add salt and pepper and the juice of 1/2 lemon, and cook, stirring, for a minute or so.

　　

Step 3

Serve cold on a flat serving dish with the caramelized onions sprinkled all over the top, accompanied by the remaining lemons, cut into quarters.

　　

variation

Step 4

To the onions remaining in the pan, add one 14-ounce can chickpeas or haricot beans, well drained, at the same time as the endive.

　　Arabesque