Howling...

A day of mixed emotions. Crying my eyes out in the kitchen, not a good look, mascara streaming from bloodshot eyes in rivulets of black down my face like something half dead in a goulish film with wobbly scenery from the 60's. I tried on a pair of the kids swimming goggles which made my eyes pop out of their sockets (very frog like) and ran down the shedio for a pair of too big diddies but still the 2 kilos of onions I was chopping up were determined to make me howl.

So what is the answer to peeling onions then. Has anyone actually found the cure. I've heard that peeling them under water works but you can hardly chop them under water can you. Some say wear a peg on your nose, nope tried it. I'm thinking perspect shield between the chopper and the onions might work, bit of a fag though setting it all up each time. Anyway 2 kg of onions peeled and shredded and in the pan, worried comments turning to amusement and mirth from the kinder and two hours later I have a pan of glorious smelling, tarty tasting onion marmalade. Of course you want the recipe, here it is.


Onion Marmalade

• 2kg Red or white onions
• 140g Butter
• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 140g Demerara sugar
• 1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves
• 75cl Bottle red wine
• 350ml Red wine vinegar
• 200ml Port

1. Peel and shred the onions thinnly.
2. Place in a heavy bottomed pan (I actually put mine in a wok) with the butter, olive oil, sugar and thyme and cook them until there's no juice left and the onions are very soft. This takes around an hour of very slow cooking.
   
3. Add all the liquid and bring to the boil and then simmer.
4. Cook until the marmalade has thickened and you can see the bottom of the pan when you stir with a wooden spoon.
   
5. Allow to cool slightly and then spoon into clean sterilized warm jars.
   

This gorgeous onion marmalade should be eaten within app. 4 months and should be kept in the fridge once opened. It's gorgeous with cheeses, hams and sausages. Tonight I stir fried some curly kale and added a big dollop whilst cooking and it was fabulous.