Curly endive with dill mayo, pickled onion and aged gouda

You'll need to prepare the pickled red onion 24 hours before you want to serve this delicious vegetarian starter. Chardonnay makes a superb wine match.

Ingredients

1 head	curly endive
100g	aged gouda

Dill mayonnaise

2	egg yolks
10g	Dijon mustard
10ml	white wine vinegar
10ml	water
35g	fresh dill chopped
250ml	canola oil

Pickled red onion

2	red onions
4g	salt
300ml	white wine vinegar
75g	sugar
75ml	water
1Tbsp	spice mix of black peppercorns, cumin and mustard seeds

Directions

1. To make the dill mayonnaise: Add all ingredients apart from the oil to blender and blend until smooth.
2. Slowly pour oil into paste. The mayonnaise should start to thicken.
3. Once all oil has been added, check the texture is correct and season with salt and more vinegar if needed. Pass through a sieve and store in the fridge until serving.
4. To make the pickled red onion: Thinly slice red onion and mix with the salt.
5. Heat all remaining ingredients until a boil is reached. Pour over onions and leave to cool, making sure all the onion is covered. Reserve in fridge for 24 hours.
6. To assemble: Wash and quarter the curly endive (or use cos or iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges, if you can't find curly endive)
7. Brush with the mayonnaise trying to get between some of the leaves. Add pickled red onion to the top of lettuce.
8. Using a fine grater, grate aged gouda or other strong hard cheese over the top of the lettuce to cover the whole thing. Transfer to clean plate and serve.