By Chef and Author: Vicki Siu
Long before my sister started a family and I opened my own business, both Renee and I had our very first joint business venture when we signed up as Saturday vendors at the Baker’s Market. The Baker’s Market was a trendy pop-up craft fair before the city loosened their red tape for crafters to start a side-hustle before the terms “pop-up” and “side hustle” even existed.
Eileen and I made a small variety of different cookies and a preserve which we called “The B.O.M.” (short for balsamic onion marmalade). I’ve used jars of the stuff as a sweet and umami glaze on pork tenderloin, smeared it between buttered slices of bread with hot brie running over the crusts, and paired it with a silky chicken pate. Used as a simple dip or as part of an entree, the B.O.M. was always a hit among friends and family. At the market, we dabbed matchstick sized pretzels to hold just enough tacky preserve to close a sale, but not so much that would cut into our bottom line. When 50lb bags of onions were on sale for $9.99, we hauled the child-sized mesh bags home to cut down on costs. We were frugal to say the least.
Baking the shortbread was straightforward, and was Renee’s brainchild since she was the more experienced baker. Dozens of pre-rolled and stamped cookies were baked straight from the freezer the night before a market and the house would smell of bakery. The B.O.M. on the other hand, made mine, and the basement stink from the hours of stirring that it demanded. Fumes wafting from the caramelized onions stained the carpets and drapes with onion-y odour and took weeks to clear. Soon after, I was banished from brewing my B.O.M. in the basement kitchen, and both the cauldron of marmalade and I were exiled to the carport for the remainder of the season.
Our little business didn’t last long, but I’ve followed the careers of a few of the people who also started at the Baker’s Market and eventually opened their own bakeries. The smaller batch of onion marmalade that I cooked for this post was the first I’ve made in years, and an open window quickly cleared the scent this time. A friend of mine, who supported this and other entrepreneurial efforts, still saves a sealed jar for a special occasion. He’ll be happy to know that this recipe yielded one jar for me, which I squished between a brioche bun goat cheese burger, and one to gift.
Elevated Onion Preserves
If your range hood is as low-powered as mine, definitely keep a window open to ventilate! Try not to use all of this at once, because this versatile condiment continues to develop flavour after a week in the fridge.
This recipe makes about two cups and takes approximately 45 minutes cooking time.
Ingredients:
15g/1 tbsp bacon grease or cooking oil
600g onions/3 medium onions, sliced
120g sugar
1g/¼ tsp baking soda
75g/¼ cup molasses
85ml good quality balsamic vinegar
170ml red wine
3g/1 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp Miss Envy organic olive oil
Directions:
Heat a large heavy bottom dutch oven or stock pot over medium high.
Add the bacon grease or oil, when the bottom of the pan is coated and starts to shimmer, add the sliced onions and baking soda.
Continue cooking over medium high and toss the onions to cover in the oil with a wooden spoon or a pair of tongs. This part will take a while, but remember give the onions a stir every now and then.
You will notice the colour of the onions begin to change from white to bright green. This is normal.
After the green hue subsides the onions will begin to brown, start paying closer attention because the onions are easy to scorch at this point.
Allow some browning on the bottom of the between stirs, and adjust the heat to medium if you’re worried about burning them.
Once the onions are mushy and turn a caramel colour, add the sugar, molasses, red wine, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Increase the heat to medium high and use a rubber spatula to constantly stir and scrape down the sides of the dutch oven, until the mixture is reduced by about half.
When you scrape the bottom of the pot with the spatula, the preserves should be viscous enough so that you can momentarily see the bottom of the pot through the spatula trail.Turn off the stove, and mix in 2 Tbsp Miss Envy cannabis infused organic olive oil and divide it into jars.
Seal the laced preserve in jars using a water bath if desired. Use within six months and enjoy!
Vicki is a Chinese-Canadian food writer and cannabis advocate based in Vancouver, BC. Her unique understanding of the cannabis plant as a botanical ingredient, and it’s growing practices, come from 15 years of floristry and owning her own floral boutique in Kitsilano. Vicki has received certification from The Culinary Cannabis Association and has also gained infamy for her canna-cooking in the name of product development.
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