Well what a few week we have had due to a bird flue out break which has got as far as Louth in Lincoln, we have had to quarantine all our poultry and other live stock for 30 days at least, I don,t think they are too happy but at least they still have plenty of space to move about in. We also have 2 new additions to our live stock, two white doves which are doing really well (pic below). In December we harvested our remaining red onions from the raised beds in the poly tunnel, we ended up with a few kilo, so not to waste any I decided to make a caramelised onion marmalade, which I feel compelled to share the recipe as wow what a result so here it is:
Ingredients to make around 6 small jars
2 kilo of Red onions.
4 garlic cloves.
75g butter.
5 tbsp olive oil.
140g golden castor sugar.
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional).
75cl bottle of red wine.
350ml sherry or red wine vinegar.
200ml port.
Method
1. Halve and thinly slice the onions, then thinly slice the garlic. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy based saucepan over a high heat. Tip in the onions and garlic and give them a good stir so they are glossed with butter. Sprinkle over the sugar, and chilli flakes, add a pinch of salt pepper./salt. Give everything another good stir and reduce the heat slightly. Cook uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes stirring occasionally. The onions are ready when all there juices have evaporated, they’re really soft and sticky and smell of sugar caramelising. They should be so soft that they break when pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Slow cooking is the secret of really soft and sticky onions, so don’t rush this part.
2.Pour in the wine, vinegar and port and simmer everything, still uncovered, over a high heat stirring every so often until the onions are a deep mahogany colour and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds. ( 45 – 55 minutes ) it’s done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan clears a path that fills with syrupy juice. Leave the onions to cool in the pan then scoop into sterilised jars and seal. Can be eaten straight away, but keeps in the fridge for up to 3 month.
