One Very Special Onion - Grilled Vidalia Onions with Gorgonzola

He's smelly and sometimes he makes you cry. No, I'm not talking about a bad boyfriend, I'm talking about an under appreciated and under loved veggie that I hold dear - The Onion. For me, onions of all kinds are a thing of beauty. 

My Grandma, "Mima" Brooklyn, NY, Circa 1940

I love them raw and crunchy, spicy or mild, cooked, grilled, or caramelized. Whenever I'm preparing a salad, it's honestly hard for me not to nibble on a few slices of raw onion along the way. There's just something about a vegetable that bites back that I can't resist. I do grant that uncooked onions aren't the most ideal snack for social interaction, and though I contend they stand on their own or with minimal enhancement beautifully, not everyone agrees. 

Taxonomically speaking, onions belong to the Allium Family, a group that also includes shallots, scallions, garlic, chives and leeks (not to mention our other favorite, ramps). The many health benefits  that allium vegetables offer should also not go unmentioned. Still, if I were to play favorites with onions specifically, Georgia's one and only Vidalia Onion variety would be my choice. Sweet and exceptionally mild, vidalias were always my Mima's favorite (and she was the original kitchenista). I know she passed her vidalia onion passion to me - she used to say they were so sweet you could eat them like an apple! Now I think that was a bit of hyperbole on my grandmother's part, but still, she sold me on the joys of this very special onion. Today, I'd like to celebrate my love for this veggie by showing you a somewhat minimalist approach to enjoying its wonders. Serve Grilled Vidalia Onions with Gorgonzola and Balsamic Glaze alongside any protein, even on top of a burger!  I believe this simple accompaniment will convert even the most stubborn onion hater. These sweet and savory grilled onions cook well atop an indoor grill pan, but also make a perfectly elegant grillable side  for your next outdoor barbecue too. Best of all, this recipe is as easy and tasty as they come. Enjoy!

Grilled Vidalia Onions with Gorgonzola & Balsamic Glaze, Photo: NK

Grilled Vidalia Onions With Gorgonzola & Balsamic Glaze
Makes 4 Servings, 1 Onion Slice Per Person

Ingredients:  
1/3 Cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese (we used Gorgonzola Dolce, which is milder)
1 Large Vidalia Onion sliced into 1/2 inch rounds - you should get about 4 rounds from it
Balsamic Vinegar, Balsamic Reduction, or store-bought Balsamic Glaze
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
Coarse Salt and Pepper

Method:
1. Preheat the broiler. 
On your stovetop, heat an ovenproof grill pan (or outdoor grill) for about 3 to 4 minutes over medium flame. Liberally brush both sides of the Onion rounds with Olive Oil. 

2. Place Onions on the grill pan and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes per side, onions become more golden, and grill marks appear. The onions should be softer but not still somewhat firm. Season the tops of the onions with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, then turn off the flame. 

3. A few minutes before you are ready to eat, sprinkle crumbled gorgonzola over each onion round and place grill pan under the broiler. Broil for 2 to 2.5 minutes or more, until cheese has fully softened and onions have browned a bit more. Remove from broiler, drizzle with Balsamic and serve! So yummy… 

Note: This recipe can be easily adapted to the outdoor grill in summer. Just cook a bit longer so cheese softens and skip the broiler portion if you don't have the time or inclination. Your cheese may not soften as well but this elegant veggie side will be just as tasty! 

Restaurant Inspiration - Smoked Salmon & Goat Cheese Toasts over Field Greens

What inspires your recipe ideas?

For me, inspiration comes from so many sources. 

These days, places like Pinterest are a visual treasure trove of food ideas. It took me all of three minutes on the site to become fully obsessed. Of course, other blogs offer amazing ideas daily, and when I am feeling old fashioned, I like to page through my cookbooks, ideally while eating food and watching the Food Channel at the same time. 

                   
Inspiration supercharged.

A Few Of My Favorites, Photo: NK

Photo: NK

Then there will always be my old standby food mags - Every Day Food and Food and Wine are favorites. Gourmet is great when I'm looking for something fancy schmancy.


But by far, my favorite place to gleen inspiration is in restaurants and at other people's tables.

See, I'm a menu snatcher. I grab takeout menus everywhere I go. The best are those that not only list the dish, but include most of the recipe components as well. If something catches my eye, I'll sample it and then take note of the ingredients so I can adapt them on my own.

Today's dinner is wonderful salad inspired by the cute little modern Italian restaurant, Bruschetteria, on Rivington street in the Lower East Side. 


Bruschetteria is a favorite of mine because it offers simple and fresh small plates. It was on a  trip there some years ago that I first tried their Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese on Toast Points over Arugula, Capers, Red Onions, with a Lemon Vinaigrette. I enjoyed it so much that I've been making it ever since. I may be a bit biased because anything with smoked salmon, capers and red onion always makes me a happy woman. 

The adaptations I've made to this dish over the years are largely to husband-proof it. To give you an idea, the first time I made it, the Mr. asked where the rest of his dinner was. He's a peach, right? 


Next time, I added an avocado to make it heartier. He also groans when I give him a salad with only arugula. He'll eat arugula mixed with other greens, but alone, he doesn't like it - "too peppery", he says. I now do a mix of field greens with extra bread on the side - just in case he's still hungry.   

This weekend, after totally overindulging at Easter, we were both ready for something light. When you're feeling the same, this salad makes a great dinner. It's also super as an elegant luncheon dish. Maybe one of these days I will have reason to hold an "elegant luncheon," but to date, I have yet to do so. :)  

Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese on Toast Over Greens, Capers, Olives & Red Onions

Serves 2 - Inspired by Bruschetteria NYC 


What You'll Need:
4 Ounces Organic Mixed Greens
4 Ounces Smoked Salmon - preferably Wild Alaskan 
1/4 Large Red Onion, sliced thinly into half moons
1 teaspoon Capers plus more for Salmon Toasts
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
2 Lemon wedges for serving plus extra for squeezing
1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Ripe Hass Avocado, cut in half, pitted and flesh scored into cubes
10 Kalamata Olives, sliced
3 Ounces good quality Goat Cheese, preferably Boucheron, at room temperature
4 medium slices Russian Rye or bread of your choice, toasted



What To Do:


Cut Bread into four even slices, set in toaster. 

Next, place your Salad Greens into a Large Bowl.


Cut Onions thinly into Half Moons. Toss them into the salad greens, setting aside some of the slices to top the Salmon Toasts.

Next, slice each Avocado half in a crosshatch pattern as below. Run your knife along the skin all around to separate flesh. Leave Avocado in the skin until ready to use, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then top with a big squeeze of Lemon.

Ripe Hass Avocados - So Tasty, Photo: NK

To make dressing, toss 1 teaspoon of Capers in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon Olive Oil and 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice. Mix, crushing some of the Capers a bit with a fork to release their flavor. Set aside.


Pop Bread in the toaster oven to toast lightly. 


Toss chopped Olives into the bowl with the Salad Greens and pour on the Dressing. Toss thoroughly to distribute ingredients and dress. 


Next, place Avocado on top of Greens.

Remove Toast from the toaster and spread each slice with a good amount of Goat Cheese. 
Top each slice with a few pieces of Smoked Salmon, extra Capers, a few slices of Red Onion from what was set aside, and another big squeeze of Lemon Juice. 


To plate, serve 2 Salmon Toasts per dish. Perch them atop the salad greens. Serve with extra Lemon wedges. 


Enjoy! 

Finished Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese Toasts over Field Greens, Photo: NK

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