mrs_tribble: (Default)
gone_witchin ([personal profile] mrs_tribble) wrote in [community profile] in_a_pickle2011-12-29 08:31 pm

Italian Onion And Rosemary Confiturra

A friend sent me this recipe. I made it, and it's so delicious that I have to make more now! It's ideal with cold meats and salads and sandwiches and just about anything else you can think of!



Ingredients

3 pounds peeled and trimmed onions (yellow, white, red, or a mix)
1/2 cup olive oil
1 ounce fresh rosemary, or about 6 long, full branches*
3 bay leaves
3 to 4 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar

Procedures

1

Cut the onions in half and slice them thinly crosswise; you should have about 10 heaping cups of onions.

2

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 or 6-quart stock pot with a tight-fitting lid and add the onions, turning them over repeatedly in the oil to coat them. Add the rosemary and bay leaves, burying them in the onions. Season the onions with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook the onions for 15 to 20 minutes, until they have softened and released their liquid, and the rosemary has wilted.

3

Remove the lid and add the vinegars, wine, honey, and sugar, stirring well. Season the mixture with 1 more teaspoon of salt and a few more grinds of black pepper. Maintain the heat at a steady simmer and continue to cook the onions for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the mixture often with a wooden spoon.

4

When the liquid has reduced by about half, pick out and remove the rosemary stems and bay leaves and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Taste the confiturra and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

5

As the liquid continues to reduce, you must be careful to keep stirring to prevent the confiturra from scorching. Continue cooking the mixture until it is soft, sticky, and moves from the bottom of the pan as you stir Be careful not to let it caramelize.

6

Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then spoon it carefully into sterilized jars. Seal the jars and process in a water bath if you plan to store them, or keep the confiturra refrigerated for up to two months.

7

* Note: The rosemary will shed its leaves into the confiturra. If you prefer not to have the wilted leaves in your finished confiturra, tie the rosemary in cheesecloth to make a sachet.
biting_moopie: (chris wwhl dacquari thanks by joeysqtico)

[personal profile] biting_moopie 2011-12-31 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! That's great to know. I guess everything shrinks when it comes to making preserves?

Whoa, really? So basically, place the just-cooked preserve into the jars, close and then place into the oven for ten minutes? Or do you mean sterilise the jars and lids, then place preserve into the jars and seal them? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I understand everything correctly before messing about with super-hot glass :)
biting_moopie: (chris wwhl dacquari thanks by joeysqtico)

[personal profile] biting_moopie 2012-01-01 05:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I understand now. I appreciate your help! :)
biting_moopie: (kurt hbic by alexwhitman25)

[personal profile] biting_moopie 2012-01-02 10:26 pm (UTC)(link)
That's pretty awesome! And very encouraging. (And I'm feeling kind of stupid about my previous question - of course the jars have to be sterilised before adding the contents. That's just logical. Can I blame my lapse in reasoning on all the holiday junk food I've been consuming?)