Onions are the character actors of the kitchen. They make recipes sing but rarely get a starring role. Not this time. Today's tart takes a lovely variety of onion - sweet reds (also called Bermuda onions) - and puts them front and center.

The flavor of cooked onions is subtle yet distinct. If they're going to be the main ingredient, you want to keep things simple so as not to compete. Our Rustic Sweet Onion Tart is indeed simple (read easy), but it really delivers. With just 10 minutes of prep, you've got it ready for the oven.

You could compare the onion tart to a quiche, which it sort of is. This tart can work as a side dish, but during the summer we tend to eat lighter, so when it's paired with a fresh tossed salad, we would definitely call this dinner. (For a true quiche, check out the recipe at our website, KitchenScoop.com.)

Sweet onions are available throughout the summer - a good thing, because in this recipe they're a scene-stealer. You're definitely going to want to see this show again.

Suggested menu: Rustic Sweet Onion Tart with tossed salad and breadsticks.

• Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross write "Desperation Dinners." Write them at Desperation Dinners, c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016, or tellus@kitchenscoop.com. More at kitchenscoop.com.