Condiments

Caramelized Mushroom Soy Onions

The idea for these onions came to me by way of my childhood memory of my mom’s cooking.  I will never forget my mother cooking hamburgers in a frying pan with lots of onions until the hamburgers were cooked and the onions on the verge of being burnt.  I made these onions for the first time for an employee meal at j ‘ Adore in Palos Verdes, lamb trimmings from the day were transformed into patties and served with these onions. The staff made sure that the onions became a regular accompaniment to our meals, whether lamb was to be seen or not, did not seem matter.

 

Yield: 1 cup

Butter - Unsalted                                         2   Tbsp.

Onions - Peeled, core removed, cut in

half and sliced thin from "top to bottom"   8   large

Sugar                                                            2   Tbsp.

Mushroom Soy Sauce                                 ½   cup

Black Pepper - Coarsely ground                   1   Tbsp.

 

1.   In 2-quart saucepan (that you have cover for), melt butter then add the onions and cover. 

2.   Cook the onions over medium-low heat, mixing occasionally until all the onions are wilted and translucent.  Remove the cover continue to cook until onions excess moisture evaporates and onions start to caramelize

3.   Add sugar, soy sauce and black pepper and mix well.  Increase heat to high, cook until the onions absorb the soy sauce mixture.

4.   Remove from heat, adjust the seasoning adding more sugar, soy sauce and/or black pepper if necessary.

5.   Serve with burgers, roasts, etc.

 

§         Chef Danhi’s Notes

§         Take you time cooking the onions, otherwise they will brown before they naturally sweeten. Yes, you are adding sugar but the onions flavor will mellow the longer you cook it – loosing that sulfur-like note.

 

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Pepper Spiced Dried Fruit Chutney

This will easily replace the old-fashioned cranberry sauce during any thanksgiving feast

 

Yield : 3 cups

 

Dried Cherries                                            ½   cup.   

Dried Cranberries                                       ½   cup.   

Dried Apricots - Cut into quarters              ½   cup.   

Minced Shallots – Approx. 4 large shallots ½   cup.   

Coarse Ground Black Pepper                      2   tsp.    

Chopped Fresh Thyme                                1   tsp.    

Chopped Fresh Mint                                    1   tsp.    

Unseasoned Rice Wine Vinegar                  ¾   cup.   

Sugar                                                        1/3   cup    

 

1.   Combine all dried fruit, shallots, black pepper, thyme, mint in non-reactive (i.e. stainless steel or glass) mixing bowl.

2.   In small saucepan, combine rice wine vinegar and sugar.  Bring to boil, immediately pour into bowl with remaining ingredients.  With spatula, mix very well to insure all fruit gets covered with vinegar syrup.

3.   Let macerate for minimum of  30 minutes.

 

§         Chef Danhi’s Notes

§         These will lat in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

§         I have used this to stuff a pork loin before roasting, yum!