The Elegant Onion

Onions are the most versatile and inspiring vegetables in our kitchens. As we've learned from Dana Bowen's article "Roots of Flavor" in Issue #142, these pearly orbs are cultivated everywhere from China to Africa to the United States. With their complex mix of sugars and aromatic compounds, it's easy to see why they provide the foundation of flavor to so many of the world's cuisines. Celebrate this ubiquitous vegetable with this simple and elegant menu, featuring onion and parsley salad, poached trout, onion gratin, and a nice big gibson martini—garnished with an onion, of course.

The Menu

Gibson Martini with Vermouth-Spiked Cocktail Onions
Parsley and Onion Salad
Grilled Bread
Poached Trout With Onions and Fennel Seeds
Creamed Onion Gratin
Port Wine Poached Pears
Vanilla Ice Cream

More About This Menu

A classic Gibson Martini is made with 4 oz Plymouth Gin, 1 oz dry vermouth, stirred over ice, strained, and garnished with a cocktail onion. We love the depth of flavor added by brining the onions first with vermouth, nutmeg, and thyme.
Fresh onion adds cool spice to this parsley salad. If raw onion has too much bite for you, take a cue from food scientist Harold McGee and rinse the sliced onions under cold water before serving.
This trout recipe calls for poaching in a court bouillon, which roughly translates to "quick broth" in French. while the most simple court bouillons can be little more than salted water, here it's enriched with white wine, fragrant fennel seeds, and lots and lots of aromatic onions.
To learn about 33 types of onions from around the world, see our guide to onion varieties »