Onion Jam

Another recipe that makes a wonderful gift, this onion jam goes well with cheese, spicy sausages, steak, in tarts sprinkled with sliced olives, as a topping on baked potatoes or as the relish on a burger.

We really like this and it's easy enough to make just a small batch on the side of the barbecue while the meat is cooking.

Onion Jam

Ingredients:
1 tbsp good quality, nice tasting olive oil (in this case it will pay to buy just a small bottle of the really good stuff)
500g brown onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method:
Heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté them, stirring them until they really are translucent, you don't want them to brown and crisp. Be patient, this will take 15 - 20 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved and the mixture starts to caramelise. Add the balsamic vinegar. Taste it - I usually like to add more balsamic to the mix, we like our onion jam quite tart. If the mixture is too thick, gently stir through a little cold water. It needs to be thick but not solid.

Spoon into hot, sterilised jars and seal. Store in the fridge for up to three months.

This makes a great addition to a gourmet hamper. Team it with pita chips, zucchini pickle and a good, sharp cheese in a small cardboard box (corrugated card looks great, but otherwise wrap and line it with brown paper).  Put the lot into an extra-large oven bag and use burlap or hessian ribbon to tie it off.