Sweet and Sour Cipollini Onions

Pearl onions or boiling onions also work well in this application. After the onions are blanched to make peeling easier, this assertive side dish comes together with very little work. Dishes with sweet and sour notes are common in Venice, but not in the rest of Italy.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  raisins
• 1/2  cup  hot water
• 2  pounds  cipollini onions
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 3  tablespoons  water
• 2  tablespoons  red wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons  pine nuts

Preparation

Place raisins in a bowl; cover with 1/2 cup hot water. Let stand 30 minutes or until plump. Drain.

Trim top and root end of onions. Cook onions in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain. Cool and peel.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan, stirring well to coat. Stir in 3 tablespoons water, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Add raisins and pine nuts to pan. Increase heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until lightly browned and liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

116 (30% from fat)

Fat:

3.9g (sat 1.3g,mono 1g,poly 1g)

Protein:

2.4g

Carbohydrate:

19.8g

Fiber:

3.9g

Cholesterol:

5mg

Iron:

0.3mg

Sodium:

113mg

Calcium:

4mg