I first tried cippolini at a San Francisco Italian restaurant about 20 years ago. The little onions, which had just started to become popular in American restaurants, were roasted whole, drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar and scattered around a thick slab of grilled ribeye.
Cippolini, which is Italian for “little onion,” are not as well-known in this country as they should be. In Italy, these onions have long been prized for their high residual sugar and their unique shape.
Cipollini, which are normally about the size of a silver dollar, have rounded edges and, unlike other onions, flattened tops and bottoms. The flat surface of the cippolini makes them perfect for slow sauteing or tossing in the bottom of a pan around a roast chicken or pork.
Like pearl onions, cippolini are delicious pickled whole and served as a garnish for hamburger or as an accompaniment to a slab of pâte.
The most labor-intensive part of working with cipollini is peeling them. Cipollini have thin skins that cling tightly to the flesh of the onion. To peel them, it helps to have longish fingernails that you’re not afraid to get dirty. You can also try cutting the onions in half before you peel them.
Serve this simple confit of bacon and cippolini with a grilled ribeye or New York steak or as a sauce for roasted pork.
John Broening cooks at Duo and Olivea restaurants in Denver.
Bacon Cippolini Confit
To cut the bacon into a small, even dice, try freezing it for an hour beforehand. Makes about 2 cups.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely diced applewood smoked bacon (about 4 slices)
4 cups cippolini onions, peeled and sliced thinly into half-moons
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Directions
In a medium-sized saute pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the bacon just until crisp. Add the cippolini onions, toss to coat in the fat, and saute with a pinch of salt until tender and golden, about 20 minutes.
Pour off any grease. Season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and sherry vinegar. Serve warm.
