This is ideal as a slightly larger small plate for several to share and also very enjoyable as a sharing dish for two with some toasted pittas and a glass of good red wine.

The recipe taken from Cooking For The Senses by Gregor Law and Jennifer Peace Rhind, which, presents a new way of looking at food and flavour. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers, it is on sale now for £25.

For more information see: www.jkp.com/uk/cooking-for-the-senses-1.html/

INGREDIENTS:

100ml olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

Approximately 20 shallots, peeled, keeping the base intact

1 tbsp good dried oregano (Mexican oregano is ideal)

Sea salt

Freshly ground black peppercorns (tellicherry are ideal)

350ml crushed tomato passata

Pinch of saffron strands

Handful of toasted pine nuts

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2 Select a deep-sided ovenproof frying pan that will hold the shallots snuggly when in the sauce – 24cm diameter is about right. This is important as you want the shallots to stay upright as much as possible in the cooking and not roll about too much.

3 Warm the oil in the frying pan and add the chopped onion. Gently cook the onion on a low–medium heat for 10 minutes or so until soft and translucent. Add the shallots and cook on a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, carefully turning them over, before adding the oregano, black pepper and 1?2 tsp of sea salt.

4 Add the crushed tomato passata and the saffron. Pour about 100ml of water on top – it is a very good idea to use the empty passata bottle and swirl the water around to get the last remains of the passata...also the bottle being 350ml means a third of the bottle is naturally close enough to 100ml.

5 Gently turn the onions over in the sauce to combine everything before positioning each shallot with the base facing up. Bring to a brief boil before reducing the heat to minimal and simmering for 10 minutes.

6 Transfer to the pre-heated oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes until the onions are soft and tender.

7 Serve either in the pan or carefully transferred to a serving dish, sprinkled generously with toasted pine nuts.