Roasted Allium & Balsamic Jam

Roasted Allium and Balsamic Jam will inject a potent sweet-and-savory jolt to whatever’s for lunch or dinner. Its several alliums (plants in the garlic and onion family) mellow out as they caramelize during the roasting process. The end product is fabulous on a cheese plate, as an accompaniment to roast
meats, or as a spread for a sandwich or sub.

Makes 3 cups

INGREDIENTS

1¾ pounds yellow onions (about 2 large), quartered
4 whole heads of garlic, tops sliced off to expose cloves
3 medium shallots
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 dried bay leaves
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the onion quarters, garlic heads, and shallots on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast, tossing halfway through cooking, for 45 minutes, or until the alliums are soft and browned in parts. Remove from the oven and let cool until easy to handle, about 15 minutes.

2. Set the heads of garlic aside. Transfer the onions and shallots to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup of water, and the vinegar and bay leaves and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn off the heat and add the chopped onion and shallots. Squeeze and slide the soft, sticky, and caramelized roasted garlic out of the skins and into the saucepan. Gently stir to combine.

4. Set the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the salt and pepper. Let cool to room temperature. Remove the bay leaves. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

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Orange-Clementine Marmalade

A thick piece of toast smothered in butter, citrus marmalade, and a sprinkle of salt is one of my absolute favorite cold-weather breakfasts. For this second recipe I have augmented classic pureed oranges with clementines for added sweetness. The clementine peel adds just the right note of tangy sourness to the proceedings. The pith of the fruits (the white underside of the peel) contains natural pectin, so there’s no need to add any store-bought pectin.

Makes about 3 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 navel orange, well washed
6 clementines, well washed
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the stem end off the navel orange, leaving the rest of the peel intact. Slice the orange in half, then slice each half into 6 pieces. Transfer the orange, including the peels and pith, into the bowl of the food processor.

2. Peel the clementines and thinly slice the peel with the pith attached. Place the chopped peel in a medium saucepan. Set aside.

3. Add the clementine segments to the food processor with the orange and process until very smooth, about 4 minutes. Add this mixture to the clementine peel in the saucepan.

4. Add the sugar and 1 cup of water to the saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a low boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the peel is very soft and the marmalade has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let the marmalade cool to room temperature. Store in jars or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.