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Onions

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Onions

Postby Gruney2 » Wed Oct 14, 2020 10:50 am

Whenever I find myself with a load of onions, it's my habit simply to finely slice them and load them into the slow cooker with a little sugar, a touch of salt and very little oil. I then simply leave them on low for ages, until they flop into a dark brown mush - really nice, and I just eat them by the spoonful. They freeze really well, too.
I wonder if I'm missing a trick though, and could introduce other interesting flavours, to make a change. Any ideas, please?

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Re: Onions

Postby Busybee » Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:22 am

We love onions, any shape or form- and like you are quite happy eating them as you describe.

There is a recipe from Tom Kerridge which is rather good, and uses a largish quantity of onions although I think I would halve if I was eating it on my own. Typically I can’t find it, but this looks identical.

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/wh ... nd-gruyere

I also like an onion marmalade/chutney/pickle but tend to buy rather than make, not having mastered preserves.

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Re: Onions

Postby Gruney2 » Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:42 am

Thanks Busybee - that looks really interesting.

Edited to say I might try throwing a couples of apples in.
Last edited by Gruney2 on Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Onions

Postby smitch » Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:54 am

I really liked this recipe but haven't made it for a while https://www.hearthomemag.co.uk/blog/blog/supper-onion-pie

You could use your slow cooker onions.

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Re: Onions

Postby liketocook » Wed Oct 14, 2020 12:10 pm

I do this with onions adding a knob of butter, a glug of red wine vinegar, sliced garlic, sage and thyme. The vinegar gives the onions a nice sweet and sour tang.

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Re: Onions

Postby karadekoolaid » Wed Oct 14, 2020 12:22 pm

When my company was still going, we used to make something called "Onion Confiture" . (Just a pretentious name for onion marmalade!)
I´d let them cook very slowly with brown sugar , a tablespoon of treacle, just a little bit of water and a couple of tablespoons of gree peppercorns. Lovely with a BBQ!

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Re: Onions

Postby Earthmaiden » Wed Oct 14, 2020 12:50 pm

I like a variation of an onion quiche. This is Mary Berry's recipe for quiche Lorraine. https://www.redonline.co.uk/food/recipe ... -lorraine/
Follow the recipe but instead of her filling ingredients just fill the pastry case with your slow cooked onions. Sprinkle lots of strong grated cheddar on top then cover well with a mix of 2-3 eggs and milk - but not as much as her advised amount of cream. Of course, you can use cream if you're feeling generous! Bake as she suggests. It may not be an authentic quiche but I've never know anyone not to like it - delicious cold.

I've also got a recipe for Hot Onion and Mustard Relish which most people enjoy. The amounts can be reduced proportionality. I don't put it into jars, just lidded plastic pots which have been sterilised with boiling water because it gets eaten quite quickly!

1kg (2.5lbs) onions
725ml (1.4 pt) white wine vinegar
75g 3oz) mustard seeds
zest & juice of 1 orange
1tsp salt
562g (1.4lb) soft brown sugar
3 red chillies, finely chopped

Thinly slice the onions (I find the grater on my food processor good for this). Put in a pan with vinegar, mustard seeds, orange zest and juice and salt.
Cook 15-20 mins over a low heat until soft.
Add sugar and simmer over a low heat until thick (the sugar caramelized and there is a stage when the mix does become thicker).
Add the chillies and cook for 10 mins.
Pour into warm sterilised jars and cover whilst hot.

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Re: Onions

Postby Gruney2 » Wed Oct 14, 2020 2:04 pm

Thanks very much everyone - it'll be good to ring the changes.

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Re: Onions

Postby scullion » Wed Oct 14, 2020 2:05 pm

there are two different recipes for 'onion marmalade' (if you put that in the search box), that i've posted in the food pairing dominoes thread, both easy and tasty. one of them has caraway seeds in which makes for a good flavour alternative - possibly a similar change for some un pickled ones, too.

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Re: Onions

Postby Suffs » Wed Oct 14, 2020 2:15 pm

karadekoolaid wrote:When my company was still going, we used to make something called "Onion Confiture" . (Just a pretentious name for onion marmalade!)
I´d let them cook very slowly with brown sugar , ...... Lovely with a BBQ!


I do similar but instead of KK's other ingredients, I add a knob of butter and a splash of balsamic ......... wonderful with sausages or panfried lamb's liver.

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Re: Onions

Postby Seatallan » Wed Oct 14, 2020 3:04 pm

How about French onion soup? :yum

Second BB's suggestion for onion chutney.
Food, felines and fells (in no particular order)

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Re: Onions

Postby Badger's Mate » Wed Oct 14, 2020 3:32 pm

I sometimes slow cook and freeze any damaged onions when I harvest them. Typically with vinegar from pickle jars, OO or butter, thyme. Heston Blumenthal has suggested adding star anise to onions, which works well if you don't overdo it. Pissaladiere is quite a good use for them, else they are the base of a stew, ready to go. Otherwise all the previous suggestions work well - soup, quiche, or as a side with sausages. If making onion chutney or marmalade, I do it from scratch.

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Re: Onions

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:22 pm

Definitely French onion soup for me - Felicity Cloake's recent recipe (mentioned on the Foodies in the News thread) is pretty much what I do, though I don't think I'm quite as generous with the cider!

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/o ... ake-recipe

I like a few caraway seeds in onion marmalade, so that would probably work well

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Re: Onions

Postby mistakened » Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:23 pm

I make a Thick Onion Tart, which is basically a quiche containing a very large quantity of caramelized onions.

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Re: Onions

Postby miss mouse » Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:23 pm

Onions freeze very well, peel, chop up and bung in a bag. nice to come back to ready-chopped onions for an instant quick-cook meal.

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Re: Onions

Postby herbidacious » Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:44 pm

My husband likes stuffed onions. Not made for him for a while, but they involves sage, breadcrumbs, cheese and whatever other herbs and spices one fancies.

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Re: Onions

Postby Busybee » Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:11 pm

Watching Mary Berry tonight.........a recipe for onion, mushroom and artichoke tart. Looked scrumptious, and onion the main ingredient.

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Re: Onions

Postby jeral » Wed Oct 14, 2020 10:18 pm

Cumin? I love the smell and taste of sliced or shredded onions (normal white ones) gently sweated with some cumin powder. Fab to me as a base for any yellow soup like squash, chickpea, sweetcorn, or in mushroom or bean veggie burgers or minced lamb grilled skewer koftas.

Would you like bacon jam?
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/bacon-jam

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Re: Onions

Postby Gruney2 » Wed Oct 14, 2020 10:50 pm

Thanks a lot, all - plenty of ideas to think aboutl

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Re: Onions

Postby jeral » Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:48 am

A couple more to consider:

Baked onion flower; the petals are used as dip scoops:
18-20 mins @ 200C
https://www.delish.com/uk/cooking/recip ... on-recipe/

Baked crumbed onion rings:
15-20 mins @ 425F/218C
https://growagoodlife.com/baked-onion-rings/

As you can see, both are baked for roughly the same time and temp so could be baked together.

I use ordinary breadcrumbs as panko are definitely crunchy but jab into my gums :(

I haven't baked a flower yet, but it's deffo on my bucket list.

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