|
(It
seems like a good idea to share this
one, which makes an excellent side dish
for ham, sausage or any roasted meat.
This comes straight from the
October/November issue of “Eating Well,”
with some additions.)
Ingredients:
1 large red onion
3 Bosc pears
3 tablespoons extra-virgin
olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh
thyme (though I used dried with good
results)
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
to taste
1 cup coarse dry bread
crumbs, see below
1/3 cup grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano (you want a strong
flavor; do not use pre-grated)
Bread crumbs
“Eating Well” suggested
Ian’s Panko bread crumbs, but I can not
find them, so I bought a loaf of LaBrea
whole wheat bread at Harris-Teeter
(Lowe’s and Target also have good
specialty whole wheat bread) and cut out
three slices that made more than the 1
cup but worked well. Tear the bread into
pieces and process in a food processor
until you have coarse crumbs. Spread on
a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees
until dry and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes.
Gratin
Cut onion in 16 wedges, pole
to pole. (Next time I will also cut the
onion at the equator and do the same for
the pears to make smaller pieces, easier
to eat.) Put the onion pieces in a bowl
of cold water, add three or four ice
cubs and put a smaller bowl into the
first bowl to keep the onion submerged
for 20 minutes.
Coarsely grate the 1/3 cup
cheese – or add more if you have more
crumbs. It is the cheese that is going
to add the taste that sets off the pear
and onion. Don’t be stingy.
Preheat the oven to 400
degrees.
Halve and core the pears and
cut each half pear into 6 slices. Drain
the onion wedges and pat dry. Place the
onion wedges and the pear slices in a
19” X 13” glass pan, drizzle a
tablespoon of the olive oil over them,
add the thyme, salt and pepper and toss
to combine. Cover the pan with foil.
Roast for 30 minutes,
stirring twice.
Stir again at the end of 30
minutes.
Add the cheese and 2
tablespoons of olive oil to the bread
crumbs, stir to mix and sprinkle evenly
over the pear/onion mixture.
Return the pan to the oven
until the bread crumb topping is
browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for
10 minutes before serving.
This makes eight servings,
but I assure you two people can polish
off the pan in two evenings, and it does
make delicious leftovers. In fact, it is
almost better the second night. |
