I cook the recipes, taste before they go into the jar, but the product in the pot isn't always the exact same as the product when it's opened later in the jar. Time and water bath processing always add a bit more cooking and always the completion of the marriage of flavors. I have to go back to a recipe I canned about two weeks ago and give you an update.
I know that the Caramelized Onion Relish is by far my best and yummiest recipe I have done thus far. It has a deep sweetness from the balsamic and red wine combination with just a little hint of the tartness of the vinegar. The onions are soft with a little bite, but not mushy and the color is a deep burgundy. I had it this morning as a topping over cream cheese on my onion bagel. I can't believe that this super simple recipe has such depth of flavor. I think that even a person who doesn't love onions would love this combination. The wine, a Greg Norman Cabernet Sauvignon, may have played a part in the outcome since it is good just out of the bottle. Chefs and Cooking teachers always say to use wine in your recipes that you would drink in a glass.
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| Carmelized Onion Relish |
Caramelized Red Onion Relish
2 large red onions, peeled
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup dry red wine
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper
Slice onions into very thin slices. Combine onions and sugar in a heavy non-stick skillet. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for about 25 minutes or until onions turn golden and start to caramelize, stirring frequently.
Stir in wine and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and cook for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Remove jars from canner and ladle relish into jars leaving a 1/2 headspace. Process in water bath canner for 10 minutes for half-pint jars.
Makes 2 cups
Makes 2 cups
16 comments:
Looks delish! What else do you put this relish on?
Here is one that I did that was fantastic. Take a piece of focaccia bread and slice in half to make a sandwich. I got my focaccia at Trader Joes. Take sliced brie and basil and layer on the bread. Add a big spoonful of the caramelized onions. Using either a griddle, broiler, or panini press, grill the sandwich till the brie cheese is oozing out the sides. The flavor of the cheese with the sharp bite of basil and sweetness of the onions is incredible.
This is now on the list to make after the tomato glut is put up. I love onions in any way I can get them. And I can see this with a dollap of a tomato jam on top of some fresh chevre or even a smoked chevre on a piece of good bread with a glass of wine!
Oh I just realized I will have to make this before the sate wine festival to share with some friends there.
Insanely delicious! Just made a batch and probably ate a pint while canning! Thank you for the recipe.
Ro
I used a 2009 Bonterra cab sav for this batch. I'd like to try it with a nice Shiraz next time. Have you ever tried this with Vidalia or other types of onions?
Thanks,
Ro
I did this recipe now I think three times. Once with regular yellow onions, once with chipolini sweet onions, and once with red onions. All were fantastic and gone from the pantry. It's a fairly versatile recipe in that you can use a decadent wine and a sweet onion to a robust cab and the red onions. They are so good. Very earthy!
About what quantity does this recipe make? Thanks, Kathie
Kathie,
I make 4 half pints with this recipe.
This sounds soooo good! However, I'm not a wine drinker, so I'm at a loss as to what to buy to make this. Do you think I could substitute something else or have a wine suggestion?
Thanks,
Jolene
Jolene - You don't have to use an expensive red wine. You could use a $4 bottle of cabernet or "two buck chuck" since you wiull be cooking the wine down. There are also some good non-alcoholic red wines in a cabernet or merlot that will work as well. Sometimes you can find a red wine in the single glass size that will work perfect.
Hi there,
I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago. It is really delicious. I have a question, though, that I'm hoping you can answer. I quadrupled the recipe hoping for 8 half pints. My red onions must have been much bigger than what was called for, though, because I ended up with the 8 half pints and 3 additional pints. I water bath processed them all, and then realized I hadn't added any more acid - just used the recipe as is. Do you think they're safe? I really hate the thought of giving people botulism. :/ Thanks! Love your site.
Kristabel,
As long as you 4X's the vinegar, wine and brown sugar you should be fine. You are technically short two half pints.
Recipe makes 4 half pints x4 = 16 half pints. You made 8 + 3 pints (6 half pints) =14 half pints.
Hope that helps!
Ohhhhhhh. Duh. For some reason I thought the recipe made two half pints. Now I feel a little silly. Thank you so much for the recipe and the quick response! I'll be coming back here often!
Hi, I'm just trying to clarify the yield of this recipe. In the recipe you say it yields 2 cups, but later in the comments you say it's 4 half pints which is 4 cups.
Thank you.
Virginia
The recipe as typed was from one of the canning books. When I did the recipe I got 4 half pints not 2 cups and as the year has past many people have come back and said that their yield was different. The bottom line is the size of the onions. I am suppose to prep the onions, figure out how many cups of sliced onions I use, make the recipes and then report back. I have been super busy and have not gotten back to doing this for the readers. The basic "2 large" onions can be so many sizes but for sure you will get 4 half pints if you use one that are 4 to 5 inches in diameter which were the ones I bought.
this looks delicious. any chance that some other liquid (cider, maybe?) could be used in place of wine?
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