A MULTI-LAYERED DELIGHT

Onions are both vessel and filling in this pretty herb-and-cheesestuffed vegetarian main dish. Use a variety of onions – red, white, yellow – for a colourful spread. For a vegan version, omit the cheese.

Serves 6 6 large onions, weighing about

340g each 140g day-old bread, cut into 2cm

slices 4 cups no-salt-added vegetable broth, half of it heated to a boil 2tbs extra-virgin olive oil ½tsp sea salt 2 cloves garlic, smashed and then

finely chopped ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (a combination of parsley, marjoram, thyme, celery leaves and/or oregano) 60g Fontina cheese, grated on the

medium-size holes of a grater 30g Parmesan cheese, grated on

the small holes of a grater ¼tsp cracked black pepper Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut about 1cm off the top of each onion and reserve for another use, if desired. Cut a very small slice from the bottom so the onion will stand upright.

Use a melon baller or grapefruit spoon to scoop out the inside of each onion, leaving a shell that’s about two layers thick.

Chop enough of the onion pulp to equal 1½ cups. Reserve any excess for another use.

Arrange the bread in a double layer in a shallow dish. Pour the 2 cups of boiling This soup gets its earthy flavour from a handful of dried porcini mushrooms. To balance the sweetness of the onions, be sure to use a good baguette or sour dough loaf for the toast.

Serves 4 4½ cups water, 2 cups worth brought to a boil 14g dried porcini

mushrooms 425g yellow onions 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1tsp sea salt 2 cloves garlic, minced 2tsp fresh thyme leaves 1 cup dry white wine ¼tsp fresh racked black pepper, or more as needed 8 baguette slices or 4 slices sour dough bread,

cut 2cm thick Pour the 2 cups of boiling water over the broth over; allow the bread to soak for 10 minutes.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add all but 2 teaspoons of the oil and swirl to coat, then add the chopped onion and salt; cook for 7 or 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, with a bit of colour.

Stir in the garlic; cook for 3 minutes, then add the herbs and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.

Squeeze the bread gently with your hands. It should be moist but not dripping. Working over a medium bowl, tear the bread into small pieces.

Scrape the onion mixture into the bowl with the bread, then add the cheeses and pepper. Mix gently, then spoon the stuffing into each onion cavity, mounding it slightly.

Arrange the onions in a deep baking dish just large enough to hold them, and drizzle the tops with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.

Pour the remaining 2 cups of broth in the bottom of the baking dish, and tent the dish with foil.

Bake (middle rack) for 45 minutes, then remove the foil. Baste the tops of the onions with the liquid in the baking dish, and continue to bake for another 30 minutes, until the tops are browned.

Serve warm. dried mushrooms in a bowl; soak for about 20 minutes while you cook the onions.

Cut the onions in half, top to bottom. Cut each half crosswise into thin half-moon slices.

Heat a wide, heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat, then stir in the onions and half a teaspoon of salt.

Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring a few times, until the onions begin to break down somewhat but are not falling apart. Reduce the heat as needed to keep the onions from sticking or browning excessively.

Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook for 5 minutes, then add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 minutes or until the wine has reduced by about half.

Place a fine-mesh strainer over the pot; pour in the mushrooms and their soaking liquid, reserving the rehydrated mushrooms.

Add the remaining 2½ cups of water; once the liquids in the pot start to bubble at the edges, partially cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Chop the rehydrated mushrooms into small pieces. Add them to the pot along with the pepper and the remaining half a teaspoon of salt. Partially cover and cook for another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C. Toast the bread until crisp and barely golden.

Place the slices in the bottom of individual soup bowls. Ladle the soup over the toast; serve hot. Once the beets are roasted, this earthy, tangy salad comes together quickly. Ume vinegar can be found at Asian grocery stores.

Serves 4–6 340g small to medium red

beetroot 1 small red onion 2 tbs ume (umeboshi, or

plum) vinegar 1 tsp sesame seeds, preferably raw/ unhulled 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Trim the beetroot ends. Wrap each beet in just enough aluminium foil to cover with one layer.

Place directly on the middle oven rack and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or just until tender.

The beets are ready when they are easy to pierce with the tip of a sharp knife.

Let cool, which may take up to an hour.

Unwrap the beets; loosen and discard their skins under cool running water. If the beets are small, cut them into small wedges. If they are medium-sized, cut them into 3cm cubes. Transfer the beets to a mixing bowl.

Cut the onion in half from top to bottom. Cut each half lengthways into thin slices.

Transfer the onion to the bowl with the beets.

Add the ume vinegar to the bowl, toss well and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until they darken a shade and smell fragrant. Let cool.

Whisk together the lemon juice and the oil in a large liquid measuring cup until emulsified, then pour over the beets and onions, tossing to coat.

To serve, spoon on to plates and sprinkle the sesame seeds over each portion.