This easy but delicious accompaniment can be made even easier if you can commandeer a friendly partner to peel the onions for you. I usually take unfair advantage and hand over kilos. My partner will happily peel away as long as he is positioned in front of a football game so it seems that in our house onion marmalade is a winter, weekend production.
Luckily this richly coloured, sweet, spicy condiment lasts for months because its uses are certainly not limited by the seasons.
It can be used simply as a side to grilled or barbecued meat; tossed together with cooked cannellini beans and chopped basil as part of an antipasto plate; spread on the base of a g-f savoury tart crust then topped with gruyere cheese and an egg and cream mix for a spiced up version of a quiche; mixed with some full fat yoghurt and dolloped over chicken before roasting drizzled with a little olive oil; dropped into sauces and soups for a bit of a lift or in small spoonfuls on the base of tiny, crispy savoury g-f tartlet cases, topped with labneh and a slice of cucumber for a tasty pre-dinner treat.
At my place, the possibilities are limited only by imagination and the length of an Aussie Rules football game.
Rosie
ONION MARMALADE
Makes 3 x 250ml jars
1.5 kg Spanish onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 cups water
2 cups vinegar
2 oranges, zest and juice
¼ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (more or less to taste)
1 cup white sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Place all ingredients into a heavy based saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer stirring more and more often as the liquid reduces. Cook until all the liquid has disappeared, stirring very often now, and you have a thick, glossy dark mass. Around 45 minutes – 1 hour. Transfer to sterilised jars. Will keep for months in the fridge.