Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
Serves
Serves 2
By Matt TebbuttFrom Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the roasted garlic with cream
- 1 head garlic
- 250ml/9fl oz double cream
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 100g/3½oz Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve
- 100g/3½oz gruyère, grated
For the deep-fried onion
- oil, for deep frying
- 250ml/9fl oz full-fat milk
- 2 free-range eggs, beaten
- 200g/7oz plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 large white onion, peel and slice off the top, keeping the root intact
For the red onion pickle
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
- 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
- 100ml/3½fl oz white vinegar, any kind
To serve
- 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Method
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To make the roasted garlic with cream, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Discard any papery outer layers of the garlic bulb, leaving the skin of each clove intact. Slice the top of the bulb off to reveal a little of garlic below. Put the garlic on a baking tray, drizzle with oil, cover with foil and roast for 30–40 minutes, or until softened. Remove from the oven and set aside.
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To make the deep-fried onion, preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
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Whisk the milk and eggs together in a large bowl.
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Mix the flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and black pepper in a separate bowl.
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Cut the onion into thin equal petals three-quarters of the way through – don’t cut through the base.
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Dip the onion in the flour mixture and allow it to get in between all the petals, then dip in the egg mixture and repeat by dipping in the flour and then the egg mixture again.
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Fry the onion until crisp and golden-brown. Carefully remove from the fryer and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
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To finish the roasted garlic with cream, remove the roasted garlic from inside each clove and stir in a small bowl until smooth. Put the cream, thyme and bay leaf into a saucepan and heat until warm. Add the creamy roasted garlic, Parmesan and gruyère and whisk until the cheeses have melted and the garlic is incorporated.
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To make the red onion pickle, place 100ml/3½fl oz water in a small pan with the sugar and vinegar and heat to dissolve the sugar. Add the onions and set aside.
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To serve, serve the deep-fried onion with the warm cream and cheese sauce and grate over more Parmesan. Top with the red onion pickle and scatter over the chives and spring onions.
