Beware the Ides of March?

In Roman times the 'Ides' of a month referred to the 15th & was not, specifically, an ominous date...that is until Julius Caesar met his end, and we all know how that turned out! In Italy, there is no such thing as 'Italian food' - it is strictly regional and things get very political! So, for today, here is a Roman recipe for little onions which you may have in your root cellar (or not). In any event, they are delicious & adapt well to so many other recipes - a roast, some pasta, or on their own with a salad & some bread. In honor of Romulus & Remus, Pink Slip Jam will be making these and a Caesar salad today!

Cipollini in Agrododolce alla Romana
(adapted from a recipe in David Downie's Cooking the Roman Way)

2 10-ounce bags pearl onions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil.  Add the onions and boil for 3 minutes; drain and rinse well under cold water.  Trim the root ends off the onions and peel the skins off. (This is a bit laborious, but frozen pearl onions aren't as nice as the fresh ones; it's worth the effort.)

In the same saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat; add the garlic and sauté just until starting to color. Add the onions back into the saucepan; add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then turn heat to "low;" cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the onions are fork-tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

These get better & better the next day, too!