Growing up I watched my mum and my grandmother cook freestyle. They would pull a bunch of ingredients out of the fridge and make a delicious concoction, knowing exactly how flavors danced together and what would make you smile. I have always cooked the exact same way and being a creative at heart, food is a melting pot of experience where visual, aroma and the taste all have to play their part.

Tonight I wanted something vibrant and fresh with a kick so I decide to create roasted balsamic onion boats and fill them with a an explosion of my favorite flavors.

You will need

• Red Onions
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive Oil
• Himalayan sea salt and smoked coarse black pepper
• Garlic
• Basil
• Lemon juice
• Jalapeños
• Tomatoes
• Pomegranate
• Cumquats

Steps to Yummy

1. To make the roasted onion boats, simply peel off the outer skin, cut the ends off and discard, cut the onions in half and pull out all but 3 thick layers of skin making 2 nicely rounded boats for each onion used.
2. Use the centre section of the onion to cut thin strips and then toss the boats and the stripes in a bowl with Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fine slices of garlic from 2 cloves and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the onion mix on a baking sheet and roast using convection roast at 375 for 20 minutes
4. Whilst the onions are cooking prepare the dressing by blending (until liquid) a large handful of fresh bail leaves, a generous splash of olive oil, dash of lemon juice, 1/2 Jalapeño, salt, pepper and a garlic clove. Then splatter or stripe across a serving plate ready for when you will plate the onions.

Next steps

1. Slice the tomatoes, finely slice Jalapeños and Cumquats for garnishing
2. Pan fry the prosciutto
3. Take the onions out of the onion and arrange the boats on a serving dish, then construct a beautiful dish by layering the Tomatoes followed by the roasted balsamic onion and garlic strips, the prosciutto and the jalapeños.
4. Top with a basil leaf and arrange a scatter of pomegrante seeds and cumquats
5. Enjoy with a little excentricity from Literally Life.