Beneath the charred and crackling crust of the onion are layers of onion tender onion flesh, sweetened by their long slow exposure to the heat of the grill. When we peeled back the skin I was expecting a soft puree of onion flesh. What we found was an intact onion with its distinct structure, just tenderized in texture and with a fuller and richer flavor. We ended up removing the skin and roughly slicing the petals to serve warm with butter steamed filet. Eating the two together sparked the idea of onion tartare. The grilled and charred flavor of the onion could happily balance minced cornichons, mustard seeds, shallots and hot spring egg-onion soup mayonnaise.
The question then arises, do we serve it on its own or as part of another dish, a complimentary accent. We could even serve it with steak tartare, a parfait or layered assemblage, which would then divulge distinct flavors and textures as the dish is eaten.
