Older Bolder Life

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onions

the Older Bolder Life Salsa Monday: Grilled Sweet Onion Salsa

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We’re always on the lookout for fresh, interesting, and what some might call unusual salsas; they can dress up any meal and bring multiple layers of flavor to the table.

I’ve been playing around with a few very nice flavored vinegars lately and a friend happened to mention a recipe similar to this Grilled Sweet Onion Salsa served by one of his favorite steak houses back in Georgia.

Being from Georgia, they of course use Vidalia onions, but any sweet onion works here. I happened to find a very nice citrus infused champagne vinegar at my favorite grocery store a few weeks back (incredible in a new vinaigrette we’re working on) that ended up playing very very well here with the sweet onions, thyme, and coriander flavors.

And by the way, this is out of this world with fresh thyme, but dried thyme works in a pinch. You’ll note in the images above I used dried when making this batch (my fresh thyme had gone into another braise recipe the day before, dammit).

2 sweet onions (see this), sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
4 tbsp avocado or good olive oil
Good salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup champagne vinegar
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves (1 tbsp dried, see note)

Optional
1-2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1 roasted serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, peeled, then minced

Slice your onion of choice, lay the slices out on a sheet pan and brush with oil, then coat generously with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Fire the grill or using a grill pan, grill the onions for a minute or two on each side, enough to begin to char a bit, but not cooking all the way through. Grill the pepper at the same time if using. Return to your sheet pan, sprinkle with the fresh thyme leaves and cool.

While the onions are cooling, combine the vinegar, water, fresh ground pepper, coriander, and sweetener if using in a small sauce pan; bring to a quick boil, simmer for 60-90 seconds, then set aside to cool in a medium bowl.

When the onions have cooled, rough chop into medium or small dice, then toss in the vinegar mixture (the pepper too if you’re using). Adjust for salt and go to it.

Cheers.

The Older Bolder Life Friday Feast: 1015 Onion Marinated Skirt Steak

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Having had the pleasure of living in several different regions of the country during the past two decades, we’ve witnessed first hand the regional battles to claim the title of the Nation’s (if not the world’s) sweetest sweet onion.

Texas has its 1015’s, Washington the Walla Walla, Georgia and the South tout their Vidalias, New Mexico offers Nu-Mex and Carzalias, California the Sweet Imperial, and even Chilean farms grow the Oso Sweet.

They’re all delicious, and we happen to think the very best one is the one we can grab fresh at at hand; everyone has their favorite, probably driven as much by regional tradition and seasonal availability than anything else…

Onions and other alliums bring so much in terms of taste to the flavor table entire books could be written on the subject, and I’m sure there are “onion experts” roaming the culinary plain today, trying to aid we mere mortals in the kitchen as we strive to up our onion game.

Being good Texicans, we’re fond of skirt steak recipes, and this 1015 Onion Marinated Skirt Steak has become one of our favorites of late. Skirt steak, or its kissing cousin the hanger steak, cooked medium-rare very quickly over high heat then sliced thinly across the grain is a treat that every good carnivore should savor at least once a month.

The sweet onion here, grated into submission and combined with a little acid works miracles to flavor this humble cut of meat; all you need otherwise is some good salt and fresh ground pepper before and after the grill and you’ll be in carnivore heaven.

Lately I’ve been slicing a red jalapeño or Fresno chile into the marinade, and note that some folks feel this prep needs a little additional sweetness – we don’t add any brown sugar or honey to this marinade given the sweetness of the 1015s, but you certainly can. And finally, swapping the vinegar for fresh lime juice (grate some lime zest in too) swings this one a little more toward Tex-Mex and is damned tasty too.

See you at the grill tomorrow.

2 pounds trimmed skirt steak, cut into 4 to 5-inch pieces
1 medium sweet onion, 1015s here in Texas
2 tbsp (scant) distilled white vinegar
2 tbsp (scant) avocado oil
1 tbsp (or more) good salt
1 tbsp (or more) fresh ground pepper

Optional
1 sliced red jalapeño or Fresno chile
1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
Lime zest and fresh lime juice for the vinegar

Grate the onion, then combine with the vinegar, avocado oil, and optional pepper slices and sweetener if using; pour into a large resealable bag or your favorite marinating container.

Season the trimmed skirt steak generously with salt and pepper, then add to the bag and turn/squish around to coat the steak well. Throw in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

When ready to cook, fire the grill (medium-high), drain the meat and pat dry. Grill, turning once, until well-marked and medium rare – note this won’t take long with skirt. Pull the meat, let it rest 8-10 minutes, then thinly slice against the grain.

Serve with a sprinkling of really good salt, a spritz of lime juice, and maybe a few chopped chives chives, parsley, or cilantro.

Enjoy.