4 twigs fresh rosemary, lower leaves picked and chopped
8 tablespoons heavy cream
Couple handfuls grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bacon
Boil the onions in plenty of water for 15 minutes until slightly tender. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Then, with a sharp knife, remove the top inch of each onion, finely chop and place to one side. If need be, slightly trim the stalk end of the onions so that they will sit flat on a roasting tray. Cut about a heaping tablespoon out from the inside of each onion, keeping the outside intact. Finely chop and add to the rest of the chopped onion.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a frying pan and add a little olive oil, garlic, the chopped onions and just a little chopped rosemary. Fry for a couple of minutes until softened; then turn the heat down, add the cream and remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan and season.
Wrap a slice of bacon around the middle of each onion and spike it in place with a sharpened twig of rosemary or wooden toothpick. (Trim the bacon so it doesn't overlap, otherwise it won't cook fully.) Place the onions on a roasting tray and spoon some of the chopped onion mixture inside each one. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until soft and tender, depending on the size of the onions.
Makes 4.
Times testing note: The smaller onions, found in bags, are necessary. Chef Jamie Oliver suggests cutting out just a heaping tablespoon from each onion but we would take more. Though this recipe showcases the onion, a little goes a long way. The filling is fabulous but you might find diners leaving some of the onion.
Source: "Happy Days with the Naked Chef" by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion, 2003; $34.95).
James Beard's Onion Sandwiches
1 bunch parsley (to yield 1 cup chopped)
3 small sweet onions
2 loaves brioche or challah (cut into 1/2-inch slices if whole)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
Chop parsley and spread over a small plate. Set aside. Peel onions and cut crosswise into thin slices, as for onion rings. Using a 11/2-inch cookie cutter, cut two rounds from each slice of bread. Cut onion slices into rounds with the same cutter. (Reserve remaining bread and onions for other uses.)
Arrange the bread rounds on a cutting board or table and spread one side with a thin layer of mayonnaise. On half the rounds, place a slice of onion. Salt the onions, top with the remaining bread rounds and press gently.
Using a spreader, coat the edge of a sandwich with mayonnaise. Roll the edge of the sandwich through the parsley, making a fairly thick wreath. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.
Arrange sandwiches on clean plates. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Source: Adapted from "Delights & Prejudices" by James Beard, 1964.
