smartygirl- 06:24 am PDT - Jun 15, 2001 -#7973
clued-in and not dorky

Whee it's back! Allow me to bombard y'all with recipes I typed up ages ago when I was sick...

Y'all are so lucky.

Due to illness, my normally constant social activities have been curtailed, leaving me confined to quarters with just enough mental energy to transcribe recipes. And so:

By popular demand:

Caramelised Red Onion Relish

• 2 large onions, peeled
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
• pinch each slat & pepper

  Slice onions verrry thinly. Toss with sugar and cook together in a heavy skillet over med-high heat, uncovered, 25 minutes, until starting to caramelise.

  Add wine and vinegar. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook 15 minutes, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated.

  Season with salt and pepper, and voila!

  I make this in duplicate or triplicate, because it only makes about two cups. This is yummy in the usual relish places, as well as with wee goat-cheese tarts (I make mine according to a standard cheesecake recipe, but using chèvre instead of philly, skipping the sugar, and adding a few gratings of black pepper and nutmeg), as a topping ofr pasta (toss penne with oil and warmed onion relish, top with wilted arugula and grated parm - yum), or, of course, with a spoon from the jar.
  
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  smartygirl> - 06:24 am PDT - Jun 15, 2001 -#<7974
  clued-in and not dorky

  My project next weekend:

  Ketchup

  ("But why were you asking us for ketchup recipes when you had one all along, sg?" I hear you cry. I respond: shaddup.)

• 7 cups chopped peeled plum tomatoes (about 4 lb)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tsp pickling salt
• 1 cinnamon stick, about 2" long
• 1/2 tsp each: whole allspice, whole cloves, peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf

  Combine tomatoes, onion, and red pepper in blender/food processor and process till smooth. In a big stainless steel saucepan (Paderno!), bring it all to a boil over high, reduce heat, and boil gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

  Add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Tie seasonings in a wee square of cheese cloth (is called a "bouquet garni," non?), and throw it in. Boil gently, uncovered, stirring frequently, until volume is reduced by half, or mixtured rounds up on a spoon without separation, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove bouquet garni (is called a "slimy glecch," non?).