Arugula Salad With Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese and Candied W

This is a very pretty salad, and full of flavor! It may look like a lot of work, but with salads,usually what you see before you are bags and bags of produce! But you can make it in no time flat! The candied walnuts are out of this world, the goat cheese, soft and creamy, with the onions, and the tang from the vinegars, it's a real winner! This serves 10, but you can certainly cut it in half or less. Source: Bon Apetit'

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• Caramelized onions

• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1⁄4 lbs red onions, thinly sliced
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar

• Candied walnuts

• 1⁄3 cup golden brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 2  tablespoons butter (quarter stick)
• 1  large  pinch salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups walnut halves

• Croutons

•  -inch cubes crustless  country bread
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Salad

• 5  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 2 (5 ounce) packages baby arugula
• 2 (5 ounce) packages  soft fresh goat cheese, broken into 1/2-inch pieces, chilled

Directions

1. For caramelized onions:.
2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions. Sauté until golden, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with vinegar; stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper.
3. For candied walnuts:
4. Combine first 4 ingredients in another heavy large skillet. Bring to boil, whisking. Boil 1 minute. Add walnuts; stir. Toss until syrup forms glaze on nuts, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to sheet of foil and quickly separate nuts with forks. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
5. For croutons:
6. Preheat oven to 350°F Place bread cubes in large bowl. Drizzle with oil, tossing constantly to coat evenly. Scatter cubes in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake croutons until crisp, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand on sheet at room temperature.
7. For salad:.
8. Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
9. Place arugula in very large bowl. Drop in onions, tossing to distribute evenly. Add nuts, croutons, and goat cheese. Toss with enough dressing to coat lightly.