Onion Jam

I have always loved the taste of jams and preserves.  What can be better than fruit cooked with a healthy dose of sugar?  A picky eater as a youngster -- oh, how things have changed -- bread, butter and jam kept this overactive, skinny little girl happy.  Peanut butter and jelly was an unheard-of combination in South Africa so my sandwiches were filled with salted butter and exotic berry jams, apricot, plum or my all-time favorite fig. 

I still enjoy my jam and butter but it’s more likely to be on a single piece of toast since the calories add up a lot quicker now :(    With the increase in availability of a wide variety of cheeses from all over the world and locally by our very own artisans (try Blue Heron Farm), a new way of enjoying preserves has emerged.   Chunky preserves can complement a pungent, rich cheese with its texture and sweetness;  fig jam is a perfect partner to tangy goat cheese.  

A mind-boggling array of delicious savory jams has emerged in recent years.  Chipotle peppers cannned with peaches or raspberries, ginger with figs, and blueberries with garlic are just a few that come to mind.  Here’s the simple recipe for Onion jam that I served with Walnut bread and Humboldt Fog chèvre (goat cheese) as seen in my previous post.  When cooked slowly, the onions are allowed to absorb the sugar, soy sauce, wine and vinegar.  Once the water in the liquids has evaporated the mixture becomes thick, jammy and complex in flavor…sweet, salty, a tad sour…umami... and perfect with chèvre. 

This savory jam would also be an outstanding accompaniment to a roast beef or turkey sandwich.  It would be delicious with a freshly grilled steak or on a vegetable pizza.  The thought of it mingling with melting queso in a quesadilla makes my mouth water!.  Get creative with it…it’s worth the 45 minutes or so of stirring!

Onion Jam from the Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook

Makes about 1 cup

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 cups sliced onions; I have used both yellow and red

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons red wine

2 tablespoons water

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 - 8 minutes until tender and translucent. Add the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 - 20 minutes, until onions are golden brown. Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring often to avoid scorching, for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick and jam like.  Taste and adjust for salt, if necessary.  The slower you cook it, the richer the jam will become. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Prijatno!

Walnut bread with Humboldt Fog goat cheese and Onion jam

My love for goat cheese (chèvre) is no secret.  I am an afflicted turophile!  It’s a new word for me and probably for you as well, dear reader.  It comes from the Greek tyros ‘cheese’ and philos ‘love’ and was first used by the English in the 1930s.  Rarely used today, it also means ‘connoisseur of cheese’.   Aside from being a dedicated turophile, I also spend way too much time on the internet where I came across an alternative/rock band based in Toledo, Ohio named Turophilie, that claims to have “no tolerance for the lactose intolerant”!   I listened to a couple of songs on their playlist and quite like their sound.  Interesting stuff one comes across on the internet!

Back to chèvre…Hubby and I hosted a wine dinner recently with goat cheese or goat's milk in every single course.   For starters, and with the help of my accomplished wine group members, I managed to pack eight delicious tidbits on two appetizer plates.   Each of the items varied in texture, flavor and color and presented a feast for the eyes!

Warm appetizer plate

Tartelettes with chèvre, red peppers and caramelized red onions

Creamy Mediterranean chèvre polenta with scallops on a half shell

Dates stuffed with chèvre wrapped in bacon

Roasted beet and chèvre tower with pistachios

Cold appetizer plate

Humboldt Fog on homemade walnut bread

Terrine of chèvre with zucchini and roasted red, orange and yellow peppers

Chèvre crème brulee with turbinado crust

Melon salad with chèvre feta and sherry vinegar dressing

Chèvre overkill, you say?  It can never happen in my world, but it was a definite challenge for Hubby in the wine pairing department.  Since a few members of our group tend to steamroll toward the reds, we had to remind them that goat cheese loves to be courted by champagne, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.   I managed to sneak some chèvre into the spinach and pine nut ‘cigars’ that accompanied the main course of grilled lamb chops with celery root and Yukon gold puree and sautéed mushrooms.   We drank a few Chateauneuf-du-Pape reds and everyone was very happy.   Homemade Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream topped individual apple tarts for dessert and we were ecstatic!

In my ‘humboldt’ opinion, Humboldt Fog chèvre rivals the best the French can produce.   Made in California by Cypress Grove Chèvre, it is the epitome of American made cheese.  It’s firm and chalky, thick and creamy, with an unmistakable tang derived from the acids unique to goat’s milk.  The rind is edible, as well as the delicate layer of ash that runs through the middle of the cheese, giving it a pretty layer-cake look.  Best at room temperature, the outer layer oozes creamy-rich decadence seen in the picture at the end of this post.

A nice complement to the chèvre is bread made with walnuts and shallots.   The soft rich cream in the cheese contrasts with a hint of onion and crunchy nuts.  It’s also great with Onion Jam, a recipe I’ll share in the next few days.   Here’s the bread…on bright red!

Walnut bread

Adapted from The Cheese Course by Janet Fletcher

Makes one 8-inch round loaf

1 cup walnuts

¼ ounce package active dry yeast, or 2½ teaspoons instant yeast

1/3 cup warm water (110ºF to 115ºF)

1 cup milk

1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut up into chunks

about 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons salt

1/3 cup minced shallots

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 pound Humboldt Fog cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Toast walnuts on a baking sheet until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In a small bowl sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and let stand for 2 minutes to soften. Stir to dissolve and allow to sit for about 5 – 10 minutes, or until fine bubbles form on the surface. This means that the yeast is active and you have just ‘proofed’ it.

Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Set aside to cool to about 110ºF.

In a large bowl, stir together 1¾ cups of the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour and salt. Add the active (proofed) yeast, milk and butter mixture, shallots and walnuts. Stir until well blended. Add more all-purpose flour gradually, stirring until the dough becomes too stiff to stir. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding more flour as necessary.

Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to a large greased bowl (I use about 1 tablespoon olive oil). Turn the dough over to coat the entire surface with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours. Punch the dough down and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Reshape into a ball and transfer to a baking sheet dusted with the cornmeal. Cover with the towel and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours.

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Put a baking dish with ice water on the floor of the oven to create steam. Slash the loaf a couple of times, and then bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF, remove the water from the oven and continue to bake bread until it is well browned, about 30 minutes more. Let cool on rack before slicing.  Serve with sliced Humboldt Fog cheese and Onion Jam.

 

I am submitting this recipe to YeastSpotting, a weekly review of yeast-driven food.  Check the link for some wonderful recipes!

Prijatno!