Recipe: Onion Carbonara (no pasta)

ONION CARBONARA

"Bacon (or guanciale), cheese, and egg make such a fine, creamy sauce together, we should be applying them to more than just pasta. A sheen of carbonara goes well on pizza, wilted greens - even steamed onions."



"When chef Michel Richard devised this recipe, he planned it as a low-carb alternative to spaghetti (in case there were any question of his intentions, he called it "Low Carb-O-Nara"). But what he discovered was that steamed onion masquerading as pasta is really good for its own reasons entirely.

When you slice an onion into long ribbons and stearn them, the ribbons taste clean and sweet, all their fire washed away. They'll also retain their form a bit better than if you were to saute them, so you can neatly twirl them around a fork. It may seem fussy and wasteful to use only the longest loops you can extract from an onion, but you can use the remains for something else. Chicken stock or pasta with yogurt and caramelized onions, perhaps."

"The larger lesson to take from all of this is that blanching onions, even diced onions that you are using in other recipes, allows the gentle personality that is hidden behind their sharpness to come out." - M.R.

4 ounces (110g) sliced applewood-smoked bacon
3 large yellow onions (about 12 ounces/340g each)
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, divided use
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

Stack the slices of bacon, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the freezer to firm. This will make them easier to cut.

PREPARE THE ONIONS:
(This can be done a few hours before serving.)

To cut the onions using a meat slicer, cut off the root end of each onion and discard. Then cut off the other ends. With a paring knife, core each onion by cutting a cone-shaped piece from the root end of the onion, much as you would remove the stem of an apple. Stand each onion on one end and cut a vertical slit from top to bottom, just reaching the center. This will result in long strands of onion rather than rings when the onion is sliced. Set the slicer to cut 1/8-inch (3mm) slices. Place a flat end of an onion against the blade and slice.

Alternatively, to cut by hand (as pictured below), leave the root ends intact, but cut a slit in each onion as above, then cut across the onions to make 1/8-inch (3mm) slices. Separate the onion slices into strands. Place the longer strands in a bowl and reserve the shorter ones for another use. You should have about 8 cups (1.9L) loosely packed onions.



Place a steamer basket in a pot over simmering water. Place the onion strands in the basket, cover, and steam for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but still al dente. Taste one to make sure the sharp onion flavor has mellowed to your liking. Remove the basket from the pot.

TO PREPARE THE CARBONARA:
Remove the bacon from the freezer, unwrap, and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch (3mm) strips. Put in a large nonstick skillet and saute over medium-high heat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until crisp and browned.

Meanwhile in a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup (60ml) of the cream and the egg yolk. Set aside.

Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour out the fat and wipe the pan clean with a paper towel. Return the pan to the burner. Add the butter and melt over medium heat. Add the bacon and the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) of cream and simmer for 30 seconds. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Toss and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions are hot. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the reserved cream mixture and the Parmesan. Taste and add additional seasoning, if needed.

With a pair of tongs, lift each portion, letting excess sauce drip back into the pan, and arrange in small mounds on the serving plates. Serve sprinkled with additional Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main dish
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: From J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, Food52 Genius Recipes: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook by Kristen Miglore