Simple Onion Jam Recipe

A few weeks ago my friend Danielle asked if I'd like some onions she got from a CSA and did not want. I said sure.

So the next day Danielle brought 6 HUGE white onions to work. I had no clue what to do with them, but I was happy to try and figure it out.

Of course the first thing that came to mind was French Onion Soup. You might find it hard to believe, but although I love the soup, I've never made it. The idea of hot bubbling soup in the 100 degree weather, however, was almost repulsive.

That's when I posed the question on Twitter and luckily received a few suggestions to make onion jam.

I searched for a recipe, but everything I was finding had too many ingredients and steps and seemed to almost mask the flavor of the onions. I decided to make up my own little recipe.

Simple Onion Jam

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large onions, peeled, sliced thinly using a food processor
salt & pepper
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan (I used my 5.5 quart Le Creuset)
2. Pat the onions with a paper towel to get rid off some of the moisture. Add to the heated pan with oil and cook the onions on medium high heat for 20 minutes, mixing occasionally.
3. Season the onions with salt and pepper, and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. At this point, the onions should be turning a nice brown color.
4. Add the apple cider vinegar, mix, and continue cooking for 5 minutes on lower heat. The vinegar will help to deglaze the pan and add a bit of sweet and sour flavor to the onions.
5. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and cook for 5 more minutes.

I have been keeping this onion jam in a jar in my refrigerator for a few weeks now. It's great as a topping for crackers and cream cheese or mixed into roasted eggplant. You can also use it as a topping for pizza or sandwiches, mix it into polenta or rice.