Marian Burross Onion Confit Recipes

Steps:

• Cut onions in half from top to bottom (not crosswise). With a paring knife, peel each onion half. Lay each onion half flat side down. Holding the knife at a slight angle, cut away and discard the hard root end. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons.
• Put a large heavy-bottomed pot, preferably enameled cast iron, over medium-high heat. Melt butter, then add all the sliced onions and stir to coat. Sprinkle with sugar and season generously with salt and pepper. Continue stirring until onions begin to wilt and soften, without browning, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add bay leaves, thyme, cayenne, vinegar and wine. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onion mixture is quite soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Peel onions, and slice into thin strips.
• Heat peanut oil in a large heavy skillet and saute onions over medium heat, stirring often. After about 30 minutes of cooking it might be necessary to add a little water to prevent them from sticking.
• After 1 hour add the sage leaves and vinegar and continue cooking, stirring often, 30 minutes more. Set aside until beef is done.

Steps:

• Cut lime, orange, lemon and grapefruit into thin slices. Then cut each slice of the lime, orange and lemon into 4 quarters. Cut the grapefruit slices into eighths.
• Make a syrup by boiling sugar, water and lime zest for 15 minutes. Strain. Cool, then steep citrus fruits overnight in the syrup.

Steps:

• Place the chocolate in a large bowl and set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream and vanilla bean, and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat immediately. Discard the vanilla bean and pour the cream over the chocolate, stirring to dissolve the chocolate pieces.
• Refrigerate the chocolate cream for one hour, or until the mixture is completely chilled, stirring occasionally.
• Beat the chocolate cream until it holds a peak. Refrigerate again for half an hour, or until ready to use.

Steps:

• In a heavy frying pan, heat up the olive oil and add the finely sliced onions - toss around to make sure they all have a coating of oil.
• Cover & cook over a gentle heat until they start to colour.
• Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves & rosemary sprigs & cook for a further 20 to 30 minutes, until the herbs have wilted.
• Take off the lid and add the sugar, wine & vinegars.
• Bring them to the boil and keep stirring al the time; then lower the heat & simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid is all dissolved and the onions are soft & sticky.
• You will need to be very vigilant towards the end of the cooking - stirring all the time so the onions do not stick and become burnt and scorched.
• Pick out the rosemary & bay leaves and spoon the confit into a clean, dry & sterilised jar & seal straight away.
• Ready to eat after 2 weeks, but better if kept for at least 1-2 months.
• Makes one x 300ml jar - the recipe can easily be increased - use a large preserving pan if necessary.

Steps:

• Heat oil over low heat in a medium saute pan. Cook the onions, stirring often, until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add wine, vinegar, water, and sugar, and raise heat to medium. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Steps:

• Rub beef with peanut oil, salt and pepper.
• Add about 2 tablespoons oil to a pot large enough to hold the beef, stock and vegetables. Brown beef on all sides. Add stock to cover; bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer. Eye round should simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours; brisket must cook longer.
• While beef is cooking, prepare vegetables. Scrub potatoes; trim and scrub carrots; cut celery and trim and scrub turnips. Cut green part from leeks. Trim the root, leaving just a little so leek will hold together. Rinse thoroughly.
• Turn on broiler; rinse and stem tomatoes and arrange on broiler pan.
• Prepare beurre manie by blending butter or margarine with flour to a paste.
• Twenty minutes before beef is ready, add potatoes, carrots, celery, turnips and leeks. Raise heat to return liquid to simmer; cover and finish cooking.
• Remove beef and set aside. Remove 8 cups of stock and bring to boil in separate pot. Keep vegetables warm in remaining stock.
• Gradually beat beurre manie into boiling stock until it has thickened to gravy consistency.
• Broil tomatoes 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let them burst.
• Slice beef. Spoon thin layer of gravy on a platter and top with sliced beef. Arrange vegetables around the meat, using tomatoes to provide spots of color. Place spoonfuls of onion confit down center of meat and pass additional gravy.