Tricolor Pearl Onions? I'll Give'em a Try!
Pearl onions have never been a part of my traditional Thanksgiving Dinner, though creamed pearl onions do sound like a delicious complement to mashed potatoes and stuffing, my favorite starchy sides.
I've side-stepped pearl onions all these years until just the other day, on my way to pick up a fresh stalk of Brussels sprouts in the vegetable aisle of Trader Joe's. What looked like a bag of over-sized marbles turned out to be tricolor pearl onions. I couldn't pass up those beauties.
So now I'm on a mission to find the best recipe to feature these tiny tricolored orbs. I was intrigued recently by a Curried Cream Onion recipe I read about in the November Saveur, the signature dish of a 101-year-old Connecticut Yankee. But the curry powder in that recipe blankets the onions in a yellow sauce, and I think the red, white and yellow of these tricolor onions deserve to shine in their own right. I'm guessing that a recipe for traditional creamed onions are the way to go. Do you have an old family recipe you'd like to share?
--Tracy Schneider
Janina on November 18, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Neither old nore familiy recipe, but simply delicous. Pearl Onions in balsamic reduction: Cut off the roots from the onions and dip them into hot water to remove the skin. Heat one spoonful of olive oil in a skillet, add the onions (about a dozen or so) and a generous pinch of brown sugar. Allow to brown a bit, than add half a cup of dark balsamic vinegar. Allow to cook covered for some minutes until almost done, then remove the lid and allow the liquid to thicken. Be careful not to burn the onions, but don't be too shy. The thicker the liquid becomes the tastier the onions. Serve warm or at room temperature with a pinch of sea salt.
If you use white balsamic vinegar instead of the classic dark variety you should be able to preserve the colour of your little beauties ;)
Tracy Schneider on November 18, 2009 at 10:12 AM
I can't wait to try this recipe. In fact, I certainly won't wait until Thanksgiving. I think we'll have them tonight! Thanks, Janina!