Glazed Cipollini Onions with Almonds

Cipollini onions (pronounced chip-oh-lee-knee) are undeniably the cutest sibling in the Allium family. The bite-size bulbs just beg to be popped in your mouth one after the next. Here they are lightly browned, then bathed in a red wine vinegar and honey reduction and cooked until they nearly melt in your mouth. The glaze brings out the onions' natural sweetness and a scattering of slivered almonds adds crunch to complete the dish.

GLAZED CIPOLLINI ONIONS WITH ALMONDS

1 lb cippolini onions

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp honey

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

water

salt and pepper, to taste

slivered almonds, for garnish

1. To remove the cipollini skins: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and blanch onions for about a minute. Drain and let cool; peel away skins.

2. Heat oil over medium in a cast-iron skillet. Add peeled cipollinis and saute until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Add honey and vinegar; stir to coat. Top off with enough water to cover the onions and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to a glaze (about 20-30 minutes).

3. Add salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with slivered almonds.

For a tasty open-face sandwich: Slice the onions and serve atop hearty multi-grain toast schmeared with cottage cheese.