Baking| Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam … and ‘Snackuits’ {a product review}
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”
Etty Hillesum
The other day I got a package from Britannia Foods with samples of their recently launched snacks, which offered the promise of a break from baking; something that looked like the kids would enjoy. I must be a glutton for punishment because even though I was absolutely exhausted, I decided to make some Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam to go with it!
The morning saw a tiring pizza session, absolutely delicious, but gosh, so much work!! Preheating the oven to make a batch of balsamic roasted strawberries for these Hot Cross Buns I was annoyed with myself. It was bugging that the oven was on, had some extra room and I hadn’t got my act together in time to bake something alongside. It’s a happy feeling to know you can kill two birds with one stone … catch my drift? Does that happen to you sometimes?
Pouring in the balsamic vinegar I remembered earlier references to an onion jam that used balsamic vinegar but the recipes I recall were all stove top. Figured I could roast onions in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar alongside the strawberries. Something sweet and something ‘savoury sweet‘ …nice!
Garlic had to be in there because roasting garlic brings out the sweeter side of it. We are a garlic loving family. It’s something that just seems to make life better, even on tiring old days! Being in the kitchen, creating, baking, stirring is all pretty unwinding and relaxing on most days! Summer is here so I’m up pretty early much to the dogs excitement. She takes a chunk out of my earlier free mornings, but she is so CUTE that I don’t mind it!
I served them with the Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam and the ‘now beginning to get pretty tiresome‘ pre-teen lapped it up asking for more. 
Ran them past the ‘not so tiring any more’ teen and she loved them. Offered her onion jam, and she went “EWWWW. Nevah!!” After much cajoling and convincing, a little blackmailing, I finally got her to taste some. She enjoyed it, though hesitatingly said, “Would you mind not calling it jam please? I don’t like the idea of onions in jam!!” Hmmm …So go on, grab some onions and make some Caramelised Onion & Garlic Jam. Make more than what I made because its pretty darned addictive and hits all the good spots in the most delightful way. I LOVED it. Sweet and savoury is right up my street, add garlic and I sing out LOUD! This did not disappoint!
{Disclaimer: I have not received any remuneration from Britannia or any agency for this post. This is my personal opinion on the product which I have reviewed.}
Summary: A different take on what we traditionally think of as jam. This is pretty darned addictive and hits all the good spots in the most delightful way. A ‘smoky oniony garlicky’ jam that pairs well with crackers, rolls, canapes, bread, pizza etc!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 onions, sliced fine
- 6 cloves of garlic, whole with peel
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Dash of sea salt
Method:
- Toss the onions in 2 tbsp olive oil, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Place the whole garlic cloves in a piece of foil and drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over it.
- Turn the onions into an oven proof casserole, make a small nest in the centre and place the foil in the middle.
- Roast at 190C for about an hour until the edges begin to brown. {I like to do this as I bake something else alongside, or then bake a large portion as this keeps for long}
- Remove from oven. When the garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic out. Discard the peels and place the roasted onions, garlic and sea salt in a heavy bottom pan.
- Taste and adjust the brown sugar or/and balsamic vinegar as required. Simmer on low with little water added if it is too dry for about 10 minutes for the flavours to mature. Cool and store in a glass jar in the fridge.
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Deeba @ PAB
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
27 Comments
arundati
Aruna, the lady who works in my house got me 10 kilos of onions from her father’s field, been wondering how to use them up… and so going to make this on the weekend!
Deeba @ PAB
Good Aruna…and lucky you! This is a great way to preserve those onions. Yum yum!
Rosa
That is one of my favorite things! Great with crackers or in homemade burgers.
Cheers,
Rosa
Katia
Red onions are my favourite and I love the caramelized version of them, great with bread and cheese… this jam sounds very good indeed!
ritu
Deeba
This onion jam is to die for!!! it goes well with chilli pakora 😉
Ivy
Hey! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading through this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this page to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Jenny
Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you will be a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back later on. I want to encourage continue your great job, have a nice holiday weekend!
Janice
That looks really tasty and the little crackers look good too.
jehanne@thecookingdoctor
oh i’m so tempted to try your jam, I love caramelised onions..I bet some buckwheat crackers would go very well with that
Nisha
I agree with your daughter – Onions & Garlic jam sounds weird to me too, just as the Garlic Kheer I came across a few days back! 😀
However, the relish looks good to smear over biscuits.
And I agree with you too – two birds with one stone. Since last few times I have started to freeze some cookie dough, so that I can at least bake a tray of cookies while the muffins bake – saving electricity and using up oven space; otherwise I’m not fast enough to whip up 2 recipes one after another … 🙂
Quay Po Cooks
I LOVE LOVE LOVE caramelised onions. I can think of so many dishes to add this to.
Poornima
Those caramalised onions look awesome!
Rochelle
Interesting kind of food…I never eat this before..But I’m sure its really delicious..Thanks for a great sharing..
shivangi
Interesting…
chennaiflowerplaza.com
Cheska
How I wish can perfectly prepared this delicious dish, caramalised onions is truly delicious…
Steve @ the black peppercorn
What an amazing jam!! Thrilled that I found your blog today
Melissa
I want to try this sounds new for me buy I’m pretty sure that this kind is so delicious..Thank you for a great sharing to us..
Magic of Spice
What an exquisite jam! And the crackers sound just lovely 🙂
Jaine
I have never tried them things before and I am sure if I do, I might not make it perfectly or my family won’t even like it..
Jagruti
Lovely clicks and a lovelier recipe!
I have a question though…when we place the foil within the onions, should it be completely covered or left open?
Deeba @ PAB
Hi Jagruti, thank you for your wonderful words. You need to leave the foil open like a cup. I often use a small steel ‘katori’ too, but be careful while handling it as it tends to get really hot when you take the tray out of the oven {unlike foil that is}.
Jagruti
oh! makes sense ! Thanks for your quick reply.
Btw this is my first time here and I love it! I have added you to my blogroll 🙂
This is such an inspiration!
Stephanie Moseley
Oh I love to try this but I hate onions and garlic. But I definitely love caramel and jam! Should I try this or not? Hmm!
Heidi19
Sounds interesting! I have never tried this before. But i would love to give this a try. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us.
Florence18Moore
What a lovely delicious recipe, I want also to prepare this new taste to my family…
Trish
Interesting recipe, certainly going to try it out.
Btw, this is so true … ““Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.””
TheoWalcot
Oh I love to try this but I hate onions and garlic. But I definitely love caramel and jam! Should I try this or not? Hmm!