This sweet onion jam is made by taking four large onions and cooking them down for about 90 minutes until you have this caramelized jammy sweetness that even onion haters would love.
You start with about 4 quarts of thinly sliced onions..
and end up with about three cups of sweet jam.
I have been thinking about how I'm going to use this jam. First, I served it as an appetizer along with some Boursin, toasted sourdough baguette slices, and a sprinkle of thyme along with some grapes.
I loved the combination of the cheese and the onion jam on the toast.
I'm sure this would be incredible on burgers or pulled pork sandwiches. I'm also thinking that it would be great in a grilled cheese sandwich, baked as a swirl into bread, or as a filling for savory pastries. How about mixed with cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo for a caramelized onion dip? How would you use this jam?
Caramelized Onion Jam Recipe
Recipe adapted from the stunningly beautiful cookbook, What Katie Ate: Recipes and Other Bits and Pieces. 
Ingredients
4 very large onions, thinly sliced
3 T olive oil
Sea salt or Kosher salt flakes
3 T balsamic vinegar, plus more if necessary
2 T light brown sugar
Instructions
- Place the onion slices in a very large sauce pan. I used a 6 quart pan.
- Pour the olive oil over the onions and stir them to coat all of the slices with olive oil.
- Sprinkle a large pinch of the salt over the onions.
- Cook on medium high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the temperature to low and continue to cook the onions for 30 minutes. Stir every few minutes to redistribute the onions and scrape up any onion bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add in the vinegar and brown sugar and stir. Continue to cook on low for another 30 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly to scrape up browned bits, until it reaches the consistency of jam and is sweet and golden brown. If it gets too thick, add a tiny bit more vinegar.
- Cool, place in clean glass containers, and refrigerate. The jam should keep for about a week.
So simple but so gourmet. I love the little appetizer platter you've set up - looks so good!
ReplyDeleteThank you Korena! Guess what I had for breakfast this morning! Leftover appetizers =)
DeleteCaramelized is one of only two ways I'll eat onions. This looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI'm an onion lover, but this and onion rings are my two favorites. I can't have onion rings very often though =)
DeleteYum! Onion jam was always a grocery favourite with me in London! It tastes super with Wensleydale Cheese and crackers!
ReplyDeleteThis sound heavenly! Do you think a nonstick pan will interfere with the desired caramelization?
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. I've used nonstick and have had great success.
DeleteYour recipe states 4 very large onions. But in your preamble to the recipe you indicate that you start with 4 quarts of thinly sliced onions. Which do we follow? Those would have to be 4 extremely large onions for 1 onion to equal 1 quart.
ReplyDeleteUse the 4 very large onions. Mine seemed to come up to the 4 quart mark on the pan, but they were pretty loose.
Delete