What's your favorite recipe out there that really champions onions?

Question

I'm putting together a new podcast with Food52 on food stories from the F52 community (i.e. you)! One of our first episodes will be on onions, and as I was trawling through recipes, I realized that onions are often used as a background flavor, and there are so few recipes out there that really champion the flavor (and texture) of onions themselves. Was wondering if anyone had any nice recipes with onions as the star?

Melissa · Answer

My favorite onion forward recipe is pissaladiere. Pizza crust with carmelized onions, thyme, nicoise olives, Parmesan cheese and anchovies (if you like). So easy to do and it is amazing. I lived in Nice for a year in university and this dish always brings me back.

Miss_Karen · Answer

Ok, I've been curious about the zwieblekuchen... it sounds AMAZING. Might you share your grandma's  recipe with me? Please?😇

eluu · Answer

I love this chicken w/ a quick onion confit - all done in one pan because babies apparently take up a lot of time, and, just as in this moment as I'm typing w/ one hand, hands too.

My french host mother would make it ever so often for dinner. Sear chicken thighs in pan, add 2 sliced (or more!) large onions to pan w/ fresh rosemary + thyme, cover and cook for 40 minutes - serve w/ bread to mop up the sweet onion sauce. Any onions will do! Red for something jammier and sweeter.

creamtea · Answer

I make roasted cipollini onions. The squat little Italian onions. They are delicious. You don't even have to peel them. Drizzle olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle the sheet with salt and pepper and any other seasoning you like (dried herbs, herb bends, a fruity vinegar like raw apple, raspberry or wine vinegar etc. and maybe a scant drizzle of tamari-- whatever you like). Put the onions cut side down on the seasoned and oiled tray. drizzle more olive oil and more seasoning, and roast at ~375 until fragrant and tender. The red cipollini's are especially sweet.

gandalf · Answer

Baked onion (not stuffed). Here is how I do it:

Take a yellow or white onion, and cut off the root end and stem end latitudinally, leaving on the papery outside layers of the onion. Cut out a concavity on the top of the onion, sprinkle it with dried thyme (or other herbs) plus salt and pepper to taste, and put 1 Tbsp. of butter in the concavity on top of the herbs. Place in a small baking dish and bake for 45 minutes at 400 F; slide the onion out of the papery exterior layers onto a plate, you are ready for serving.

Lori T. · Answer

You know, how wonderful any particular dish tastes has a great deal to do with your surroundings and company.   I've had wonderful food all over the world, but the best dishes were still those prepared by the loving hands of my grandmother, eaten at the kitchen table surrounded by family.  I bet if you made French onion soup in your own kitchen, and shared it with those you loved, that version would rival any prepared in Paris by the most famous chef in the world.

Miss_Karen · Answer

Oh, ABSOLUTELY! But the version at Hotel du Paix near L'Opera is most assuredly good too.😉

Gammy · Answer

Can't discuss best onion recipes without mentioning French Onion Soup!  The most delicious version I EVER had was in a bistro in the Les Halles district of Paris. I still dream about that version.  Here is Anthony Bourdain's take:  https://www.chowhound.com...

Miss_Karen · Answer

So VERY cool! Thank you Lori!!

Lori T. · Answer

I'm not sure my version can compete with one made in the spot famous for it, but here is how I do it. I make a basic yeast raised pizza crust with 2-3 cups of flour. While it is rising, I clean and prep 2-3 large onions. My preference is for Vidalia or sweet onions, but either white or yellow onions work. I cut them in half pole to pole, then slice into about 1/4 inch thick slices. I also peel and mash 2 cloves of garlic. Cook the onions and garlic in a generous glug of oil (maybe 1/4-1/3 cup?) over medium low heat until they are cooked soft, a deep golden, but not brown color. Then I add in 1 tablespoon of Herbes de Province, and a few mashed anchovy filets. This is for my anchovy averse kids. If you are not, then hold off on the anchovies for the topping. Season the onions with salt and pepper to taste- though keep in mind how salty your black olives and anchovies will be. When your dough is doubled, roll it out on parchment paper to a rectangle about 12x15 inches. Spread your onions over the top, leaving yourself a border all around, about an inch wide. Arrange anchovy filets over the top in whatever decorative manner suits you, using as few or up to about a dozen, I think. Then arrange oil cured, pitted olives on top - Nicoise if you can get them. Brush the edges with a little olive oil. Bake at 450F for about 15 minutes, or until your crust is nice and crisp.
If you do not care for all the herbs, you can just use thyme, or whatever herbs you prefer- rosemary, savory, cheril, marjoram, etc.
Anyway- that's how I do it. In the summer, instead of baking it in the oven, we toss it on the grill. That's the best tasting way, providing the season permits.

Miss_Karen · Answer

What a coincidence- it looks like I have already saved the Food52 version/ link.... Still interested in the French version though😉

Miss_Karen · Answer

Thanks. I will look at the food 52 version, but I think I am more interested in the French Pissaladiere- I was a student in France a long time ago and really miss French food. Colorado is NOT the culinary hub I wish it were. Their idea of seasoning is salt....

Lori T. · Answer

Actually, I have a couple different variations/versions.  There is a thicker version here at Food 52,  https://food52.com/recipes... , which is yummy.   Then there is a version called pissaladiere, from Provence, that is also good.  And I make a version of that without the anchovies for my fish detesting children.  (Though a few make it in mashed form- shh.  Don't tell.)  And if I'm feeling lazy, I make a really simple version with rough puff pastry dough and thin sliced raw onions.  So which one sounds interesting to you?

Miss_Karen · Answer

Yum! Would you care to share the French onion tart recipe?

Lori T. · Answer

That would be a toss up between my grandmother's Zwieblekuchen, or onion cake - and a French onion tart.  Onions are front and center in both dishes.  I serve both as main courses, with side salads.

Nancy · Answer

The same dishes mentioned by luvcookbooks and Miss Karen. Also baked stuffed onions (various Italian recipes) and roasted onions, both to use as side dishes.

Miss_Karen · Answer

Onion marmalade with pink peppercorns. It’s wicked good on roasts, crostini, baked Brie.....etc

luvcookbooks · Answer

Homemade onion dip with caramel used onions, on this site.  Also love pickled red onions.

What's your favorite recipe out there that really champions onions?

18 Comments

Popular on Food52