Tag: onion

Darren Purchese’s (Cheat’s) Caramelised Onions

.Reading time 1 minute.

Makes 250gm

Here ye. Here ye.

I will never, even again do caramelised onions in a pan with brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and at least an hour of my life.

This approach to caramelised onions is ridiculous.

Maybe 20, 25 minutes and you have just wonderful caramelised onions.

The addition of the bird’s eye chilli is even more genius.

Add thyme towards the end as I recently did and boom.

Ridiculous.

Ingredients

3 red onions, peeled and sliced
Salt flakes
1 bird’s eye chilli, chopped
1/3 c light olive oil

Method

  1. Place the onions in a 3 litre capacity microwave-safe (glass or plastic) dish with a steam escape lid. Season the onions with salt and stir in the chilli and olive oil. Place the lid on the dish with the steam escape open and place the dish in the microwave. Cook on high (100%) for 10 minutes.
  2. Remove the dish from the microwave and carefully remove the lid, allowing the steam to escape. Use a fork to mix the wet onions ensuring everything is well combined. Replace the lid and cook for a further 4 minutes.
  3. Remove thw dish from the microwave and again mix the onions with a fork. Replace the lid and cook for another 4 minutes. Repeat these steps until the onions start to become thick and jemmy. The onions should be dark in colour and the moisture will have evaporated sufficiently for them to sticky.
  4. Thank me later.

Onion Rings

.Reading time 2 minutes.

Serves: 4

My first memory of onion rings was at a restaurant (chain) in Neutral Bay, Tony Romas.

Yes, the world famous Tony Romas had two outlets in Sydney before they shut at the Big Bear in Neutral Bay 20 years ago and then again in the city, around ten years ago.

Institiution lost!

My parents took us probably a dozen times, primarily for the onion rings and ribs, though just as equally because it was one of those restaurants that encouraged kids to draw on their paper placemat. It was a win-win for parents and kids alike.

When I was around 14, my mother bought a portable deep fryer and I remember cooking onion rings for several Sunday-evenings in a row, just before returning to boarding school for the week.

Served with steak, ribs, fried chicken, pork or whatever, these rings are magic and unquestionably worth the effort. Just make sure you go slow when dropping the onion rings into the boiling oil.

I learned that lesson the hard way.

P.S. When Nat and I were in Hawaii last year, we ate twice at Tony Romas and unless you are mad, you should make the trek as well. It is the best!

Ingredients

8 onions, thinly sliced into rings (I’d allow 2 for each person or more!)
Milk to cover
4 egg yolks
Flour
Sunflower oil

Method

  1. Soak the onions in the milk for at least 20 minutes.
  2. Add the yolk to the onions/milk, stir to combine and discard all liquid.
  3. Toss onion in flour to coat, shaking off excess.
  4. Heat oil in deep fryer, large, heavy saucepan or wok to 190c. This temperature should turn a cube of bread golden in 30 seconds.
  5. Fry the onions in batches; this should take a minute or two up to 3 minutes depending on how you like them.