Onion Marmalade
These onions do not color as much as the other recipes, but have a long-cooked taste. You can stuff thick pork chops or a split pork tenderloin with them. They also make a great topping for grilled chicken or pork sandwiches.
I like navel oranges for zesting. I get organic oranges for zest, since they are not dyed. Wash the orange thoroughly with soap and water before you zest it. I sometimes use dried cranberries instead of raisins in this dish.
By the way, marmalade is one of those words being redefined by today’s chefs. ‘Joy of Cooking’ defines marmalades as ‘bits of fruit cooked to a translucent state in a heavy syrup.’ You wouldn’t want to put this marmalade on your morning toast. Neither fruit nor a heavy syrup is involved, and I suppose you could just as easily call it an onion chutney or an onion compote. Whatever you call it, it’s pretty tasty
1 large Spanish onion or 2 large yellow onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
2 cloves
Dash ground cinnamon
1 navel orange, preferably organic
2 tablespoons cider or sherry vinegar
1/4 cup raisins, preferably golden
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Slice the onions lengthwise into wide strips and sautￇ in the olive oil until they color lightly. When they turn translucent, add the spices and continue cooking.
While the onions are cooking, zest half the orange into a small saucepan. Add the juice of the orange, the vinegar and the raisins, and simmer slowly uncovered for 10 minutes. Add the mixture to the onions and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, until the onions are almost falling apart and the mixture is almost dry.