Monday 26 December 2011

Carmalized Onion Relish. Turkey's new BFF

Let's face facts friend, turkey is a bird too large to roast without drying out. All the butter and basting in the world won't change the simple problem of mass to necessary cook time that is essentially baking then ultimately dehydrate that modern day brontosaurus. No matter how complacent the rest of the family might be to this plain as day fact, or how convinced the cook might be that they can roast the perfect bird, a dead turkey is a unrelenting task master hell bent of psychological warfare. Basting and buttering that bird is a futile ritual we attempt to make-believe we could possibly bend the laws of physics. So for the love of turkey, and if you love the cook - make this small offering of salvation.

Ingredients:
3 - 4 lbs chopped onions
1/2 cup cranberries or more if you want more
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
water - read the who to and use your horse sense.
1 tsp butter/oil/coconut oil
herbs of your choice if you want them
large heavy pot - preferably enamel coated cast iron

the how to:
1. chop your onions into edible pieces - don't over think it, just cut.
2. start by heating your pot, add the butter and onions.
3. allow the onions to develop colour, at this stage add a couple of TBSP's of water to deglaze and continue the caramelization.
4. repeat step 3 until you like the colour of the onions, then add cranberries and a little water to allow the cranberries to cook and avoid the onions from burning.
5. ensure the cranberries have cooked down and finally add your balsamic vinegar to the pan along with any herbs if you want.

I jarred these and water bathed them for shiny christmas gifts. Hopefully I saved some poor family members from that terrible thunder bird's dusty grip.

Eat and be merry.
When the sun sets at 4:30 - it's nice to look back on the summer bounty

No comments:

Post a Comment