Delicious, sticky, fragrant sweet & sour onions simmering away on the stove .... Ooohhh … who doesn’t like a bit of “Sweet ‘n Sour” ?
This is a lovely recipe from another of my favourite cookbooks “The Good Food Cookbook” by Ina Paarman, who is a well known South African food writer. I first started cooking it when we lived in Arusha 8 years ago. The smell of it simmering away on my stove takes me back 8 years each time I make this recipe … isn’t it weird the way smell can do that to you ?
I have used Rosemary in place of Thyme in this recipe before, and as we cannot get ‘baby’ onions here easily, I use large red onions and simply chop them in half. (Although the recipe works better with baby onions as once the halved onions cook they tend to fall apart).
This dish is served cold (the sauce becomes even more deliciously sticky once refrigerated) and is a great side dish at a braai (barbecue) or served with cold meats and cheese.
This is a lovely recipe from another of my favourite cookbooks “The Good Food Cookbook” by Ina Paarman, who is a well known South African food writer. I first started cooking it when we lived in Arusha 8 years ago. The smell of it simmering away on my stove takes me back 8 years each time I make this recipe … isn’t it weird the way smell can do that to you ?
I have used Rosemary in place of Thyme in this recipe before, and as we cannot get ‘baby’ onions here easily, I use large red onions and simply chop them in half. (Although the recipe works better with baby onions as once the halved onions cook they tend to fall apart).
This dish is served cold (the sauce becomes even more deliciously sticky once refrigerated) and is a great side dish at a braai (barbecue) or served with cold meats and cheese.
Sweet & Sour Pearl Onions
750 gm Pearl (Baby) Onions
Boiling Water
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Tomato Pesto (or Tomato Paste)
2 tbsp Sugar (I use brown)
3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar (I have used Red Wine Vinegar & it also works well)
1 Bay Leaf
2 sprigs fresh Thyme
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp chopped Parsley
To skin the onions, first top & tail them, then cover them with boiling water. Leave for 1 – 2 minutes, then drain, rinse under cold water & slip off the skins.
Warm the oil in a wide frying pan & add the onions. Shake the pan to roll them & brown them, then add all the remaining ingredients except for the parsley. Pour in enough water to cover the onions. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat & cover. Simmer gently for 40 – 35 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the onions are tender & bathed in a naturally thickened sweet-and-sour sauce. Serve cold, sprinkled with parsley.
Once cooked, they will keep, covered, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
