Charred onion baskets with pomegranate, feta, and pine nuts
Our first taste of this dish was at a New Year’s Eve party and then an impromptu get together at home following the cancellation of the local outdoor Prom concert due to bad weather in July!
These can be served as an appetizer or side salad, either way they’re really tasty bites packed full of fresh, fruity and zingy flavours.
Cooking surfaces
BBQ Temperature
Ingredients
For the onion baskets
- 3 red onions, skin on
- olive oil
- sea salt
- few sprigs fresh mint, to garnish
For the dressing
- 10 sage leaves, rolled up and cut into thin strips
- 1 tbsp hot honey
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper, to season
For the garnish
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 pack feta cheese, crumbled
Equipment
No special equipment, just decent lumpwood charcoal with no chemicals in it (restaurant grade).
Method
For the dressing
- .Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
For the onion baskets
- Setup your Big Green Egg for a direct cook at 250°C with just your stainless steel grid.
- Cut the red onions in halves through the core, keeping the skin on.
- Baste the onion halves with oil.
- Place the onions skin side up on the grill to cook them. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. You’re looking for them to be nicely charred.
- Remove from the heat, pop them on a plate and allow to cool, until you can pick them up without burning your fingers!
- Whilst the onions are cooling, pop the pine nuts into a small pan to toast until browned. Watch them as they toast very quickly once they get going. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Once cool enough, peel off the skin and separate the onion layers. Pop the onion baskets onto a plate with the charred edges upwards.
- When you’re ready to serve, sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and crumbled feta. Give the dressing a good stir and spoon over the onion baskets.
- Finish with some freshly torn mint leaves.