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Roasted Onions with Gorgonzola Crumble

Few vegetables benefit from a sojourn on the grill as much as onions. Fire caramelizes an onion’s ample sugars and concentrates its flavor. All the while, the onion’s juices percolate deep inside, helping its crispy sections soften and its drier sections crisp. We recommend you use small cipolline onions (also spelled cipollini), which have an assertive flavor and lots of sugar. Most important, they’re small enough to grill whole. Cipolline are increasingly available, although you may have to search. If you can’t find them, any small onion will do. Or you could use small Vidalia and/or red onions, peeled and halved before grilling.

TIMING

Prep: 10 minutes

Grill: About 18 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Long-handled tongs

* * *

THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium (350°F)

Clean, oiled grate

Charcoal:

Direct heat, medium ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, medium ash

12-by-12-inch bed, 3 inches deep

Clean, oiled grate set 4 inches above the fire

Photo: Roasted Onions with Gorgonzola Crumble

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)

8 cipolline onions, about 3 ounces each

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 ounce Gorgonzola cheese

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

Oil for coating grill grate

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the grill as directed.

2. Trim the ends from the onions and peel. Coat with 1 table-spoon of the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper.

3. Crumble the Gorgonzola with your fingers into a small bowl. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the parsley, the garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the onions on the grill. Cover and cook until the onions are charred in spots and tender but not soft, about 18 minutes, turning halfway through. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 375°F.

5. Put the grilled onions in a serving bowl and scatter the Gorgonzola mixture over the top. Serve.

Grilled Caramelized Vidalia Onions

We wondered whether you could caramelize onions on the grill. The answer: You can. While we normally prefer not to grill in foil packets, the foil is a necessity for this recipe. It traps the juices and keeps the onions moist. First we grill slices of onion to lightly char them. Then we break the charred onions into rings and sprinkle them with salt and sugar to help draw out the moisture. When wrapped in foil and returned to the grill, the onions soften in texture and deepen in sweetness. Serve them as a side dish or in a sandwich, or try them on Smoked Chorizo Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Arugula (page 332).

TIMING

Prep: 5 minutes

Grill: About 20 minutes

GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

• Skewers (soaked in water for 1 hour, if bamboo)

• Aluminum foil

• Long-handled tongs

• Heat-resistant grill gloves

GETTING CREATIVE

• Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the foil packet before sealing and finishing grilling.

• Replace the Vidalia with any sweet onion, such as Maui, Walla Walla, or Texas sweet onions.

TIPS

• When skewering the onion rounds, push the skewer across the grain of the rings to make sure the rounds will hold together on the grill.

• To keep the onions flat on the grill, put the skewers directly on the grill rather than hanging off the edge. Wear heat-proof gloves when turning the skewers.

* * *

THE GRILL

Gas:

Direct heat, medium-high (400° to 450°F)

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Charcoal:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals) with high- and low-heat areas

Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood:

Direct heat, light ash

12-by-12-inch bed with a 3- to 4-inch-deep area for high heat and a 2-inch area for low heat

Clean, oiled grate set 3 inches above the fire

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS—ABOUT 1 CUP)

1 large Vidalia onion (about