Jamie Olivers Worlds Best Baked Onions Recipes

JAMIE OLIVER'S WORLD'S BEST BAKED ONIONS

Steps:

• Boil the onions in plenty of water for 15 minutes or until slightly tender.
• Remove the onions from the pan and allow to cool.
• With a sharp knife, remove the top inch of each onion, finely chop and place to one side.
• Slightly trim the stalk end of the onions so that the onions will sit flat on a roasting tray.
• Taking care to keep the outside of each onion intact, cut about a heaped tablespoon of onion out from the inside of each onion.
• Finely chop these removed sections of the onion and add to the rest of the chopped onion.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Heat a saute pan and add a little olive oil, the garlic, the chopped onions, and just a little of the chopped rosemary.
• Saute for a couple of minutes until the garlic and onion have softened, then turn the heat down, add the cream and remove the onions and garlic from the heat.
• Stir in the Parmesan and season.
• Wrap a slice of pancetta around the middle of each onion and spike it in place with a sharpened twig of rosemary or a wooden toothpick.
• Place the onions on a roasting tray and spoon some of the chopped onion mixture inside each one.
• Bake in the preheated oven for around 25 minutes until the onions are soft and tender.
• How long this takes is, of course, dependent on the size of the onions. "It's cool to experiment with different cheeses, so give it a bash," says Jamie.
• I presume he is suggesting topping the baked onions with cheese.
• When the onions are cooked right through, remove and serve.

ROASTED RED ONION WITH THYME AND BUTTER

Steps:

• Try to get 6 equal-sized medium to large red onions. Remove the first layer of skin. With a knife, just take the bottom of the core end of the onion off, to give it a flat base, and make 2 cuts in a cross-shape in the top, cutting half way down (do not cut right through into quarters). Push some chopped or pounded fresh thyme into these gaps with a good pinch of salt (it's important to get the salt right into the gaps) and a little knob of butter. I prefer to cook the onions in an earthenware dish on a thin layer of sea salt or I put them in with my roast chicken or lamb and they cook quite happily in the same tray. Place in the oven fat 200C/400 F/Gas 6 for 30-35 minutes.
• These onions are great with a roast, so tasty and sweet.

WORLD'S BEST BAKED ONIONS

Steps:

• Cook onions in a large pot of boiling water until tender but not falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes.
• While onions are cooking, remove leaves from lower 3 inches of each rosemary sprig and chop enough leaves to measure 1/2 teaspoon. Cut sprig ends at an angle to form a point so they can act as skewers.
• Remove onions from pot with a slotted spoon and, when cool enough to handle, cut off top inch of each with a sharp knife and finely chop tops. Trim root end of each onion slightly, if necessary for onions to stand up without rolling. Scoop out about a heaping tablespoon from center of each onion (keeping outside intact) and finely chop, adding to rest of chopped onion. Transfer hollowed onions to an oiled 8-inch square baking dish.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cook chopped onion, garlic, and chopped rosemary in oil in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream and remove from heat. Stir in parmesan, sea salt, and pepper to taste.
• Fill whole onions with some of chopped onion mixture and spoon remainder around whole onions.
• Wrap a slice of pancetta around middle of each onion and secure with a rosemary sprig or wooden toothpick.
• Bake onions, uncovered, in middle of oven, until very tender, 40 to 50 minutes depending on size of onions.