Sweet And Sour Onions...Cipolline in Agrodolce II

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Modena's aceto balsamico dates back at least to the 11th century, when a written record reports the delivery of a barrel of the extraordinary vinegar to Emperor Henry III as a coronation gift. For centuries, the aceto was made by the local families only for their own use, with the barrels often a prized inclusion in a young woman's dowry.

Here, the aromatic vinegar is combined with sugar to create a rich sweet-and-sour brown glaze for small onions, a favorite dish both in the birthplace of aceto balsamico and in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna's neighbor to the north. Serve warm for the best flavor as an accompaniment to roast pork or turkey.

If you want to serve something different this Thanksgiving, try this recipe.   It's a good substitute for the creamed onions I so loved.  If you do, you will not have to worry about making a gravy for the turkey.  Trust me.

A couple of years ago I posted a recipe for Cipolline in Agrodolce that was good but nowhere as delicious and authentic as this one.  Last week I spotted a few boxes of cipollini at the grocery store here in Georgia and, in spite of the price, could not resist the impulse.  Think Manolo Blahnik of the onion world...$3.99 for a box of 4. Yes,  that is right, but you know what? they are worth every penny so I looked inside my cart,  took out a couple of things I really didn't need (like milk),  and picked up a couple of boxes.   On my daughter's birthday I served them with broiled pork chops brushed in the final minutes of cooking with some of the balsamic sauce.  To die for...

Mashed potatoes and a pear tart  rounded up the meal.

If you can't find cipollini go ahead and substitute regular pearl onions, but I strongly suggest you make the effort to try one of the best and sweetest onions you will ever taste.  Yes, and that includes Vidalias. Sorry Southern people, the Italians have you beat on this one.

For past Thanksgiving Menus and recipes, enter the word Thanksgiving in the Search box.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. cipolline or pearl onions
• 2 cups meat stock
• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Add the onions and cook for 30 seconds. Drain and place under cold running water to halt the cooking. Drain again. Using a small, sharp knife, trim off the root ends and slip off the skins. Do not cut the onions too deeply or they will fall apart.

In a large, heavy fry pan over medium heat, combine the onions, stock and butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are partially cooked, about 30 minutes.

Uncover the pan and stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, shaking the pan occasionally, until the onions are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Add a little warm water if needed to keep the onions moist.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Savoring Series, Savoring Italy, by Michele Scicolone (Time-Life Books, 1999).

From Georgia With Love...Tarte A L'Oignon

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Nothing gives me more pleasure than to satisfy a friend's request.  Within reason, that is.

Last week while my blogger friend Paul Gervais de Bédée was enjoying himself in Sardinia and St. Tropez, I got an unusual request from him.  Did I have a recipe for a tarte a l'oignon? Mais non, but  I was sure that  with a little research and some practice on my part I could come up with a good one, if not the best one. 

When I go in search of the ultimate recipe for something I haven't made before, I like to start with an authentic source.  Obviously, Julia Child was the first name that came to mind but knowing her recipes, I knew hers was going to be long and involved.  The next name on the list was Patricia Wells who, amongst others, had written a cookbook on bistro cooking.  Not good enough.  She's really more Provencal.  I wanted  a typical tart recipe from the region that made it famous, in this case Alsace.  And then a coupe de foudre... André Soltner!

 For those of you not familiar with M. Solter, he was the former owner and chef of the four-star restaurant Lutéce in New York City.  For many years, long before Daniel and even Le Cirque came around, Lutéce was considered by many to be the best French restaurant in Manhattan.    This recipe,  traditional cafe fare in Alsace where he was born,  was shared by him in his book  The Lutéce Cookbook.   A copy of it, now out of print,  resided until recently in my mother's bookshelves but,  unbeknownst to her, it had mysteriously slipped into my suitcase the last time I visited.

At about the same time as all this was going on, I was looking for a recipe for the vegetable bounty now appearing in my friend Sandra Jonas' potager.  Just last weekend the onions had started making their appearance.  Sweet onions, no less.  So the ones I borrowed for my tart are from her Georgia vegetable garden, via my Georgia kitchen to Paul's table in Lucca, Italy.  From Georgia with love, dear friend....a french tarte a l'oignon!

Just as I predicted, the tarte was sublime.  When one has cooked as long as I have, one can tell just by reading the recipe.  

M. Soltner recommends blind baking the tart's crust, a process in which the crust is baked, then filled, then baked again to help keep the crust firm and crisp.  I strongly encourage you to do this.  There is nothing worse than slicing a tart and finding that the bottom crust has disappeared.  I made the dough the night before, stored it in the refrigerator overnight and rolled it out the next morning.  It handled beautifully.  I guess I am getting better at working with dough now that  I've started making pizza at home.

If you don't have pie weights for blind baking the crust, you can use dried beans, rice, or clean, round pebbles.

Don't rush the onions.  Cook them on low until they begin to caramelize.  It might take as long as 20 minutes.  That is really the part that takes the longest but it is well worth the effort.  While the onions are cooking, open a bottle of a chilled French rosé  and start slicing some fresh tomatoes for a salad.  Life could be worse.




It looks like a lot of onions





...but it's not once they are cooked



Andre Soltner's Tarte A L'Oignon

Ingredients
Serves 6

* 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for tart pan

* 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

* 1/2 cup ice water

* 1 1/2 pounds onions, about 2 large) finely sliced.  I used Vidalia onions.

* 1 large egg, lightly beaten

* 1/2 cup heavy cream

* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

* 1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Butter a 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom; set aside.

2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled butter, and combine with fingers or a pastry blender until it has the texture of coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup ice water, and stir just until a dough forms. Form into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch-thick round. Fit dough into prepared tart pan; trim excess. Line with a parchment paper round, and fill with pie weights. Chill for 15 minutes. Transfer to oven, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment paper. Bake for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven, and set aside.

4. In a large skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly browned and softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. In a small bowl, combine beaten egg, cream, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in onions.




Ready to go in the oven


6. Sprinkle baked tart shell with cheese. Spread onion mixture evenly over cheese. Bake until set, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

All you need to serve with the tarte is sliced tomatoes with  good olive oil, fresh basil  and Balsamic vinegar.  Paul should have no problem coming up with that!

I know some of you have had problems leaving comments.  Here's two solutions.  1.  Sign in as anonymous and sign your name at bottom 2.  When signing in as Google account, uncheck the box that says "stay signed in". That should help.

All photos Lindaraxa

What is Adobo?

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Before things get really out of hand and some chefs and professional cooks take this word into the stratosphere, let's get this straight.  Adobo is a spanish word that means marinade, dry or wet, and  is used typically in Spanish and Latin American cuisine.  It usually refers to the condiments in which meats such as pork, chicken, lamb turkey or fish are marinaded before they are cooked.

A typical adobo consists of garlic, onions, olive oil, lemon or lime and herbs or spices. Sometimes the adobo is discarded before cooking, other times it is added to the pan.  It can be sauce like if it has wet ingredients such as oil or orange juice or it can be dry if it is just spices and herbs.  It is not a sauce to be enjoyed as part of a dish although the term has now taken that meaning, particularly as it pertains to Mexican and southwestern food, courtesy of creative menu writers and cookbook authors.

Goya makes prepared adobos, both dry and wet which can be found in your supermarket

In Filipino cuisine, adobo refers to a common cooking process indigenous to the Philippines. When the Spanish invaded the Philippines in the late 16th century they found an indigenous cooking process that involved stewing with vinegar. They referred to this method as "adobo". Over time, dishes prepared in this manner came to be known by this name as well, the most famous being chicken or pork stewed in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves and pepper.

In Mexican cuisine it is a marinade or paste made with chillies, vinegar and spices to flavor meats.

Just for the record....

Confiture d'Ognions

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Now that we are entering hunting season, I thought I would share with you this wonderful and easy recipe for an onion jam that goes well  with game as well as  pâtés, terrines or foie gras. If you want to serve it with game, use 125 g (4 oz.) sugar.


Printable Recipe

Total time: 15 to 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy


Ingredients

- 2 Tbsp. oil

- 500 g (18 oz.) onions

- 250 ml (1 cup) red wine

- a pinch of salt

- a grinding of fresh pepper

- 75-125 g (3-4 oz.) granulated sugar

Method

Peel and halve the onions; slice into half circles.

In a saucepan, sweat the onions over low heat in 2 Tbsp. oil. They should be translucent without being browned.

Add the red wine, salt and pepper; add the sugar. Continue cooking until the wine has reduced completely.

Source: Recettes du Monde

Cipollini In Agrocolce...Sweet And Sour Onions

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I just came back from shopping at one of my favorite grocery stores in Miami where I have been taking care of my mother who fell last week and broke her shoulder.  My shopping list was short but as I cut through the produce department, I spotted a basket full of these small onions and remembered a recipe I had saved but never posted.  I don't know how long they will be around but hurry up and look for some at the supermarket and make sure you try this wonderful recipe.

Pronounced chip-oh-LEE-nee this is a smaller, flat, pale onion. The flesh is a slight yellowish color and the skins are thin and papery. The color of the skin ranges from pale yellow to the light brown color of Spanish onions. These are sweeter onions, having more residual sugar than garden-variety white or yellow onions, but not as much as shallots.

The advantage to cipollinis is that they are small and flat and the shape lends them well to roasting. This combined with their sweetness makes for a lovely addition to recipes where you might want to use whole caramelized onions. They can be a little difficult to find as they are not as popular as other varieties but specialty markets and grocery stores should have them, particularly at this time of the year. They are harvested in autumn and may not be easily available year round (or quite expensive in other seasons).

This dish is beloved in Rome, where it pairs naturally with roasted meats like porchetta. In case you haven't had it, porchetta is a savory, fatty, moist boneless pork roast stuffed with herbs, placed on a spit and very slowly roasted over a wood burning stove for many, many hours. Sounds good doesn't it? Well, I don't have a recipe, but I do have a recipe for roasted pork shoulder. The cipollini would also be great served with a simple pork roast or pork chops, preferably cooked on the grill. Why don't you try that next Saturday night?


Printable Recipe

SERVES 4 – 6

Ingredients

1⁄2 cup raisins

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 1⁄2 lbs. cipolline or pearl onions, peeled

1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1⁄2 tbsp. sugar

Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

1. Put raisins into a small bowl; cover with hot water and let soften for 30 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown, 8–10 minutes; pour off oil. Drain raisins. Add raisins, vinegar, and sugar and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until sauce thickens, 2–3 minutes.



Photo: Todd Coleman
Recipe Saveur

Le Cordon Bleu French Onion Soup (Soupe a l'Oignon)

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When my parents moved to Europe after I was married, my mother attended the Cordon Bleu school in Brussels.  This was one of the many recipes on the course  and the only one she ever graced us with. I wonder what ever happened to the rest...

Onion soup is the quintessential French comfort soup and another great remedy for a hangover.  Cookbooks are fond of saying that onion soup was a favorite of locals stopping by the central Paris open markets after the theater or cabaret. As famous as the onion soup of Les Halles may have been, I have not been able to find a recipe purporting to be actually from this famous marketplace.

Interior of Les Halles, 1835, a painting by Max Berthelin.

In this recipe beef consomme rather than beef broth is used.  There has been a lot of argument going back and forth between American versions that use beef broth and french versions that use water. Supposedly, the french version tastes more "oniony"  than ours; so be aware when ordering in France.  I checked out Balthazar's (chicken stock) and Julia Child's (beef broth) cookbooks.  Both recipes are almost identical to this one with the exception of the stock, so Vive La Difference!

 If you live in Paris, you can find wonderful French onion soup at the Brasserie Balzar or at Au Pied de Cochon, a two minute walk from Les Halles.  This is actually where the workers went for their soup late at night. Similarly in New York,  I understand Artisanal and Balthazar serve a delicious one, although I have never had it...I have other fish to fry when I go there.  Here at the lake we make my mother's Cordon Bleu recipe and frankly, it is the best I've ever had, particularly on a cold winter night. A tarte au citron or a pear or apple crisp for dessert is all you need to wrap up the meal.

Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients:

2 large Spanish onions, total weight about 500 g (1 lb)

2 x 295 g cans condensed beef consommé (I use Campbell's)

90 g (3 oz) butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons plain flour

125 ml (4 fl oz) dry white wine

1 bouquet garni*

6 - 9 slices of baguette

60 - 90 g (2 - 3 oz) Emmental, Gruyère of Jarlsberg cheese

2 - 3 tablespoons Port or Madeira*


Method:

1. Halve the onions lengthways and finely slice them. Make the consommé up to 1.2 litres (2 pints or 1 quart) with water and heat to boiling. Keep hot.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onions, stir well and season with a generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to moderate and cook the onions until light golden brown in colour, 12 - 15 minutes. Stir frequently during this time and watch carefully towards the end of cooking, to prevent the onions catching on the bottom of the pan.

3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 - 2 minutes, then add the wine and bring to the boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to loosen the browned pieces of onion on the bottom of the pan. Add the hot consommé and the bouquet garni, stir well and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and lightly toast the slices of baguette on both sides. Leave the broiler on. Thinly slice the cheese and arrange it on top of the baguette. Remove the bouquet garni from the soup, stir in the port or Madeira (if using), then season the soup to taste.

To serve: Ladle the soup into individual flameproof bowls. Top each serving with 3 slices of baguette and put under the broiler until the cheese melts and bubbles. Serve.


Chef's Tips

Don't skimp on the browning time for the onions - this is essential to give the soup a good colour and flavour

*If you don't have Port or Madeira, you can use Sherry or Brandy but it won't quite be the same.  I STRONGLY SUGGEST PORT.

*The bouquet garni is parsley, thyme and laurel leaf.  Tie some together with a string so you can remove easily.

I use Gruyere cheese.

If making the day before, cook the soup up to the end of step 3, then remove the bouquet garni. Cool over and refrigerate the soup. Before serving, reheat the soup until bubbling, preheat the grill and prepare the croûtons.


Source: Le Cordon Bleu

Gratin of Pearl Onions With Gruyere

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Creamed onions are a seasonal favorite, especially at Thanksgiving. Pearl onions, traditionally any white onion less than 1 1/2 inches in diameter, are best for this dish. A number of different-colored pearl onions are available at well-stocked markets today, including white, yellow and purple.  I just use the Birdseye frozen pearl onions which taste just as good as the fresh.  If I wanted to stay really American, I would use an American cheese but Gruyere is so good in gratins I'm willing to make an exception.



Serves 6.


Ingredients:

2 lb. pearl onions, fresh or frozen

5 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, minced

 2 1/2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

2 cups of whole milk

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese

3/4 cup fine dried white bread crumbs

Paprika

Directions:

If you are using fresh onions, here's what you have to do:

Bring a saucepan half full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pearl onions and cook for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the onions, rinse with cold water and drain. Reserve the water in the pot. Trim off the ends of each onion, then cut a shallow X into each trimmed end. Squeeze each onion gently to slip off the skin. 

Bring the water back to a boil. Add the onions, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the onions are soft when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a bowl.

If you are using frozen onions, which I highly recommend, just follow package directions, cook and drain.

Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat to 375°F.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbs. of the butter. Add the minced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until well mixed and bubbling, about 2 minutes.  Add the milk and cook until the sauce boils and thickens slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Add the pearl onions, adjust the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the onions are hot, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the onion mixture to a 2-quart baking dish and sprinkle the bread crumbs and the rest of the cheese evenly over the top. Add a dash of paprika. Cut the remaining 1 Tbs. butter into 6 equal pieces and dot the bread crumbs evenly with the butter. Bake until the crumbs are golden and small bubbles appear along the edges of the dish, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.