Creamy Baked British Onions with Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon

When somebody asks, "What is your favourite vegetables?", seldom do people say "onions".
I think onion is one of the most underrated vegetables. I have always been a fan of onions and they are a staple in my kitchen; when cooked slowly they release their natural sweetness, giving a depth of flavour to soups, stews and stocks. But they are also delicious, cooked in their own entirety.

I was contacted by a representative from British Onions to sample their products and you know me, I couldn't resist this nice offer, and plus I always support local produce. When I received the parcel, in the box there were English mustard, marmite, mushroom ketchup and of course as expected, lots of onions. I have been using the onions as the base of some of the dishes I previously posted on the blog, like the Ardèche potato cake, the meatloaf and the pomegranate and chicken stew.

For the last three onions I have left, I want to cook a recipe that celebrates onions as vegetables in their own right and I made this heavenly, creamy baked British Onions. I first discovered a dish like this from Jamie Oliver's the best onion gratin and it was delicious but the cooking time is quite long. In my version, I boiled the onions until tender to let the flavour mellow and become sweet (and to speed up the cooking process) before baking them with thyme, cream and parmesan cheese.

The delicious brown sugar glazed salmon recipe is borrowed from my friend Elisabeth at Food and Thrift Finds. If you want to see the recipe, you can click here.

If you want to know more about British Onions, please visit their web page where you can find plenty recipes and useful tips and information. Thank you British Onions for the lovely parcel, it's very much appreciated. I wouldn't mind receiving more onions though, just saying... :)

Creamy Baked British Onions
Recipe by Me
Serves 1, if you have an appetite like me

2 white/yellow onion
1 red onion
75 ml single cream
25 g grated Parmesan cheese or Gruyere will be delicious too
Sprinkling of dried thyme
Extra virgin olive oil

Peel the onions and boil them in a pan of water for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the onions. You want them just soft, not mushy. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 C.
When the onions are tender, take them out and cut them in half or quarters. Place them on a buttered ramekin and season them, then add the cream and sprinkle the dried thyme and cheese on top. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and bake for 20-25 minutes.
The onions should be bubbling and golden brown. Serve with the salmon or a simple side salad with sharp vinaigrette if you wish.