Cipollini – Simple and delicious small onions that stand on their own, or as a base for a sauce. We posted a how-to video on how to prepare these little orbs of delight (see below), and we have also posted the classic recipe Cipolline Agrodolce on the Serious Foodie website.
Here is another way to use cipolline as a base for a very flavorful onion sauce that can be used with beef, pork, chicken, or vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 tbls olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup port wine
- 1 cups chicken or vegetable stock (preferably homemade; if not, find a high-grade brand. The Serious Foodie likes Pacific Natural Foods or Kitchen Basics when we run out of homemade)
- 3 tbs. fresh oregano, chopped
- 6 caramelized cipolline, rough diced
- 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
Directions
- Coat the bottom of a sauce pan with the oil, and place garlic in oil. Heat pan on medium, then sauté the garlic for about 2 minutes.
- Add port wine and the stock, then reduce by ½.
- Add the oregano, the cipolline, and lemon juice, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the flame, and let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Place in a blender or food processor, and puree.
- When you are about to use the sauce, place it back into a sauce pan, and heat gently. Whisk in the butter, then serve.
You can use an alternative method, leaving the cipolline intact rather than pureed. After item #3 in the Directions list, add 2 tablespoons of blond roux (see the article on the AllRecipes website for an excellent description on forming a roux: http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Making-Roux-Step-by-Step/Detail.aspx).
Want to know how to prepare cipolline? Click on this video:
