Have you ever been tempted to devour a huge heap of onions for dinner?
Nope, me, neither.
Not until I discovered “Miso Butter Onions.”
Imagine onions saturated in butter and savory miso, until they become one, with a texture that is downright melty.
It’s a recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi’s newest cookbook, “Ottolenghi Flavor” (Ten Speed Press), of which I received a review copy.
In this latest cookbook, the London chef and co-writer Tara Wigley put the spotlight on plant-based dishes.
Through more than 100 recipes, Ottolengthi teaches how to amplify the natural flavors of vegetables by adding acidity, fat, sweetness or heat; or by using specific techniques such as charring.
There are a lot of veg-focused cookbooks now, but few offer such creative yet accessible recipes as this one. You’ll find yourself salivating over dishes such as “Grilled Figs with Shaoxing Dressing,” “Hasselback Beets with Lime Leaf Butter, ” “Sticky Rice Balls in Tamarind Rasam Broth,” “Saffron Tagliatelle with Ricotta and Crispy Chipotle Shallots,” and “Tapioca Fritters with Orange Syrup and Star Anise.”
This onion dish is super easy, except for one fiddly part: It calls for small onions or shallots, about 5 1/4 ounces each. Now, I don’t know about your supermarket, but for whatever reason, all of the ones I typically shop at carry only ginormous onions, many the size of a baseball. On the other hand, there’s no way I’ve seen any shallots anywhere near 5 ounces.
So, what to do? What to do?
After combing around, I was able to get my hand on some small-ish sized onions, though, they were still not as small as this recipe required. Instead, they were about 6 1/2 ounces each and roughly 3 inches in diameter.
I’m guessing that size matters here a bit because you need to fit the onion halves in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, along with a load of liquid — water mixed with miso and melted butter. And that liquid needs to cook down in the time that it takes for the onions to become soft throughout but not break down into mush.
My onions fit, though, I had to go with six onions in the pan rather than the called-for eight. I think you could even use slightly larger onions, if you had to. Just try to find the smallest ones you can.
The amount of liquid will come up to the top of the pan. So take care when you carry it to the oven or lift it out. You may even want to put a baking sheet underneath the pan, just in case any sloshes out.
The oven does all the work, at very high heat, over nearly 90 minutes, cooking the onions through and through, and rendering all that liquid into an unctuous gravy.
These onions have all the sweetness of caramelized onions, plus a luxurious richness — there is nearly a stick of butter in there — along with a savory depth and just enough saltiness to balance everything out.
Ottolenghi recommends serving these supple onions with roast chicken or over grilled bread, mashed potatoes or rice.
I can attest that mounded atop plain white rice, with its buttery golden gravy soaking into the fluffy grains, these onions make for a surprisingly pleasing forkful unto their own.
So much so that while the recipe says it serves 6, I feel confident in changing that to 4. Because after one taste, it’s a good bet you won’t be able to stop.
Miso Butter Onions
(Serves 4 to 6)
6 to 8 small onions or 8 very large shallots (about 5 1/4 ounces each or 2 2/3 pounds total)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon white or other miso paste
1 quart warm water
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Halve the onions or shallots lengthwise, discarding the papery skin, as well as the layer beneath if its’ tough or dry. Trim the tops and a little off the bottom (not too much — you want to ensure the onion halves stay held together at the base).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, miso, and warm water until fully incorporated.
Place the onion halves, cut-side down and spaced apart, in a 9-by-13-inch high-sided baking dish or pan and pour in the miso water. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and baker for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and turn the onions over so they are cut-side up (take care to ensure they remain intact). Baste the onions very well, then return to the oven, uncovered, for another 45 to 50 minutes, basting every 10 minutes, until the onions are very soft, deeply browned on top, and the sauce has reduced to a gravy consistency.
Carefully transfer the onions to a platter, pouring the sauce over and around them, and serve at once.
Adapted from “Ottolenghi Flavor” by Yotam Ottolenghi
More Yotam Ottolenghi Recipes to Enjoy: Roasted Eggplant with Anchovies and Oregano
And: Squash with Chile Yogurt and Cilantro Sauce
And: Vineyard Cake