Pearl onion sauce with raisins – Petit Oignons Monégasque

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 small jar of pearl onions, approx. 340 g, sweet and sour pickled
• 75 g raisins
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 50 g sugar syrup, dark or cane sugar
• 1 tbsp, leveled tomato puree
• 2 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch(s) of salt and pepper
• 1 shot of port wine, red

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Soak the raisins in white wine and 2 tablespoons of onion liquid for about 2 hours. Drain the onions, reserving the liquid. Place the soaked raisins in a saucepan with the onions, white wine and all the other ingredients except the port wine and the reserved onion liquid and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until everything has thickened slightly. Finally, stir in the port wine. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a little of the onion liquid, if desired. Allow to cool and serve as a side dish with cheese or meat dishes, e.g. grilled meat. This dish is said to originate from Monaco and can be varied with fresh onions, vermouth or herbs such as thyme, garlic, etc. With fresh onions, more acid/vinegar liquid may need to be added and the cooking time could be longer. In my photo, I served the Monégasque sauce alongside piccalilli sauce with a salad with asparagus and grilled bacon coated in soy sauce.