A spell in a hot griddle pan yields softened, sweet spring onions to serve as a side dish
Traditionally we eat spring onions raw with bread and feta cheese as staple fare of the Persian table. Grilling them mellows out the oniony flavour, and intense charring works beautifully with the sweetness of cooked onion flesh. Chargrilling them on a barbecue is ideal, but you can also cook them easily on the hob in a griddle pan.
Overview
Prep time
5 mins
Cook time
10 mins
Serves
4
- 6
Ingredients
- 30g blanched hazelnuts
- 12 spring onions
For the dressing
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ fat lime
- 1 tbsp clear honey
To garnish
- 2 pinches of pul biber chilli flakes
- Finely grated zest of ½ lime
Method
Step
First make the dressing. Combine 1½ tbsp olive oil, the juice of ½ fat lime, 1 tbsp clear honey and a good amount of seasoning in a small bowl or jug and set aside.
Step
Toast 30g blanched hazelnuts in a dry frying pan set over a medium-high heat until charred but not burnt.
Step
Set aside until cool enough to handle, then roughly halve or chop them.
Step
Bring some water to the boil in a saucepan.
Step
Blanch 12 spring onions in the boiling water for two minutes, then drain and dry them with kitchen paper.
Step
Meanwhile, preheat a griddle pan over a high heat.
Step
Arrange the blanched spring onions on the griddle pan and chargrill for a few minutes on each side, until char marks appear.
Step
Arrange the spring onions on a serving plate and scatter over the hazelnuts.
Step
Drizzle the dressing over the spring onions.
Step
Sprinkle over 2 pinches of pul biber chilli flakes and the finely grated zest of ½ lime, then serve.