Fresh spring onions (onions that are still putting most of their energy into their leaves but are just starting to bulb out) are a market treat. Buy them when you see them and slice them up for stir-fries or salads – or better yet, cook them on the grill for a delicious side dish for grilled meat. The trick for grilling is to toss them in both water and oil so that when they first start cooking, the water cooks off and helps steam the onions. It also keeps the onions from charring too much before they can soften.
Serves 2
- 1 bunch fresh spring onions
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- Balsamic glaze (store-bought)
- Parmigiano Reggiano
1. Heat a gas grill to medium-high. Scrape the grill grates if necessary.
2. Trim the spring onions so that no more than about a foot of leaves remain. (Sometimes you will find them at Morning Glory Farm with up to two feet of leaves.)
3. Slice the thickest onions in half lengthwise. (Start by slicing through the middle of the bulb.) You can leave the onions with small bulbs whole.
4. Rinse the onions in water and immediately transfer them to a sheet pan so that some of the water is still clinging to them. Drizzle a tablespoon or more of oil over the onions, season them generously with sea salt, and toss well.
5. Arrange them cut-side down on the grill, cover the grill, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the undersides of the onions are marked. Using tongs, flip the onions over, cover again, and cook for about 3 more minutes. Check to see if the onions are softened and nicely browned. If not, continue cooking (and flipping) for another minute or two.
6. Transfer the onions to a serving platter and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Shave a bit of Parmigiano overall and serve. Alternatively, you can chop the onions before serving them atop a steak or alongside other meat – they can be a little unwieldy to cut on the plate.
