As much as I want to be the ‘kale salad with the dressing on the side’ kind of girl—I can’t do it. I love food, and that’s why I exercise!
“Life is short.”
These Roasted French Onion Blossoms are a happy medium, and a satisfying side to pair with steak or any meat—not to mention they are pretty and will make your house smell amazing.
In my book (not literally), I’d call these “low carb.” It’s basically a whole onion topped with a tiny bit of Gruyère cheese, a few homemade breadcrumbs, and a tad of butter.
If preparing these for company, plan on one per person. No one is going to want to share! Look for the smaller size and Vidalia variety when in season.
Roasted French Onion Blossoms
Serves 6
6 small sweet onions, such as Vidalia
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, extra sprigs for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1 cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese
1 cup homemade breadcrumbs, from a loaf of French bread
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Carefully peel the outer skin off the onions. With a sharp knife, starting near the eye or bottom of the onion, make four cuts at 3, 6, 9, and 12 (like on a clock) cutting completely through the onion. Once those cuts are in place, go back and add four more cuts between each of those sections. Turn it right side up, and there you have it—an onion blossom.
Grease a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Place onion blossoms on roasting pan, add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the middle of each onion, and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Combine wine and broth in a measuring cup, and pour into roasting pan around the onions.
Bake for 25 minutes; remove from oven, top with cheese and breadcrumbs, and bake 25 to 30 more minutes or until golden brown.
Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
Leslie Byars Register
Yields 6 Servings
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Ingredients
- 6 small sweet onions, such as Vidalia
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, extra sprigs for garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 cup homemade breadcrumbs, from a loaf of French bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Carefully peel the outer skin off the onions.
- With a sharp knife, starting near the eye or bottom of the onion, make four cuts at 3, 6, 9, and 12 (like on a clock) cutting completely through the onion. Once those cuts are in place, go back and add four more cuts between each of those sections. Turn it right side up, and there you have it—an onion blossom.
- Grease a roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Place onion blossoms on roasting pan, add 1/2 tablespoon of butter to the middle of each onion, and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Combine wine and broth in a measuring cup, and pour into roasting pan around the onions.
- Bake for 25 minutes; remove from oven, top with cheese and breadcrumbs, and bake 25 to 30 more minutes or until golden brown.
- Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
Let’s keep roasting…
“If you are trying to impress anyone, put a whole chicken stuffed with lemons, garlic, and fresh herbs in the oven and let the aroma do the rest.”
I know there are rotisserie chickens everywhere you turn, but there is something so satisfying about roasting a whole chicken.
On a cold, rainy day or really anytime, it’s a welcome change from grilling. If there are any leftovers, depending on the size of your family and the chicken, it makes for a great start for a completely different meal. (I’m thinking Chicken Enchiladas tomorrow.)
Roasted Lemon Chicken with New Potatoes
Serves 4
1 (4- to 5-pound) whole chicken
Salt and pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 garlic pods, halved
1 bunch of fresh thyme or marjoram
2 tablespoons butter, divided
Olive oil
6 to 8 small red potatoes, cut in half
Herb Basting Brush (see below)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken; then stuff with half of the lemons, garlic halves, and herbs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Rub 1 tablespoon of the butter evenly on the outside of the chicken.
Grease a large roasting pan with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Place the cut side down of the potatoes in rows to create a “roasting rack” for the chicken. Place a sheet of parchment paper (with several slits in it) on top of the potatoes. (This will allow a little of the chicken drippings to help flavor the potatoes.) Place the chicken on top, and arrange the remaining lemons and garlic around the chicken.
Place in oven and baste every 20 minutes with Herb Basting Brush.
Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.
Remove chicken and vegetables to a platter, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Herb Basting Brush
Gather sprigs of an assortment of fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, marjoram, parsley, and sage. With a piece of kitchen twine, attach them securely to a bamboo stick or dowel.
“Now that we are through roasting, let’s talk about hosting…”
As I’ve said before, the Internet is truly a “social” media. I meet new people every day without leaving the house. I can’t think of a better time to introduce one of my new Instagram and blogger friends.
Meet Lory Parsons, the mastermind and creator behind To Have + To Host blog. Lory is setting the stage for beautiful entertaining day after day. If you are not following @tohavetohost on Instagram or her blog To Have + To Host at tohavetohost.com then you are missing out on a lot of pretty table settings and entertaining ideas. And not only does she set a perfect table, but she comes up with all kinds of unique party themes, from napkin swaps with friends, backyard wine parties, and a Hallelujah lunch (when the kids went back to school) to name a few. I could go on and on.
Lory lives in Phoenix with her family. Be sure to follow her on instagram @tohavetohost, and on her blog at To Have + To Host.
Bonus Recipe…just because!
For those of you that follow me on instagram @lesliespartydiaries you may have seen this recipe last week, but just so you’ll have it handy when needed, I thought I would slip it in at the end of this post.
Easy Broccoli-Cheddar Soup
Makes 2 quarts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups 2% milk
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup grated onion, juices included
3 cups coarsely chopped broccoli, or 2 medium crowns
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Dash cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt butter in a medium-size Dutch oven over medium heat. Add flour, and whisk constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until combined and bubbly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add remaining ingredients, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
Learn from Leslie: For a slightly thicker soup, substitute milk for part of the broth and add extra cheese.
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