Hello, friends! I write to you with onion-scented breath, for it is the last week of my caramelised onion adventures here on Flavour Nuggets. At this point, my eyes are protesting, as are my friends, fed up with my breathing anywhere near them. Fun fact: I did my A-Level Biology project on the cell structure of onions, and was so appalled by the stench on my hands and clothes that I packed in the A Level in favour of ‘focusing on writing and art’, which, to be fair, I did. Sort of. The main thing was the onions, though; a general kiff of allium not being compatible with the whimsical concerns of teenage life. Once again, I find myself at the ‘upper limit of onion’, so I’ve decided to compile a reeking, sulphurous, and obnoxiously pungent guide to my favourite onion recipes instead. Let us begin!
And a selection from this here newsletter:
Plus, of course, the caramelised onion egg mayo; caramelised onion, beef, Stilton and pickled walnut pie; caramelised onion baked beans; seekh kebabs with sizzling onions; chicken tikka and sundried tomato and caramelised onion bucatini from this month’s adventures. To round things up with a powerful, onion-stung belch, it’s a recipe for one of my favourite winter soups: smoky onion and garlic soup with white miso brown butter. Intensely savoury and smooth, it slips back like the first pint on a sunny afternoon. Remember those? Helen x
Smoky Onion and Garlic Soup with White Miso Butter This recipe is adapted from the one in the Winter section of my book Live Fire, which is currently going for <£20 on the Big Bad Website. You don’t have to make this on the BBQ, but of course, the soup won’t be smoky if you make it indoors. It will, however, still be delicious. 4 onions, unpeeled, halved lengthways (or peeled and halved if roasting) Prepare a barbecue for indirect cooking over medium heat, with the coals banked to one side, or preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Place the onions in the roasting tray and rub the cut sides with a little oil. Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs to reveal the cloves and rub those lightly with oil too. Add to the roasting tray. If using the BBQ, place a large chunk of wood or handful of chips onto the hot coals, put the roasting tray onto the opposite side of the grill as far away as possible from the coals – and close the lid. Position the BBQ air vents to about halfway open. Cook the onion and garlic for 1 hour, rotating the tray halfway through and adding more wood chunks or chips as necessary to keep the smoke fairly constant throughout the cooking time. If using the oven, place the tray on the middle shelf and roast for 30 minutes, then remove the garlic, turn the onions over and roast for a further 20-30 minutes or until the onions are soft and a little browned. Remove the roasting tray from the oven or barbecue, then remove the skins, roots and any papery outer layers from the onions and garlic and put them into a blender with half of the stock - be careful not to fill the blender more than halfway if the stock is hot. Blend until very smooth. Pour into a saucepan with the remaining stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, add the white pepper and remove from the heat. Stir in the crème fraîche. To make the miso butter, melt the butter in a pan and add the miso, stirring until incorporated. Stir the butter into the soup. Check the seasoning – miso is salty, but you will likely need some extra salt. This soup should be highly seasoned. Serve scattered with the chives.
Until next time, Flavour Fans x
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Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Flavour Nugget #68: Big onion energy
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