Sweet Onion Confit
This buttery-sweet topping is wonderful in sandwiches or even atop crackers.
Ingredients:
2 Walla Wall sweet onions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon balsamic or sherry vinegar (optional)
Method:
1. Peel and slice the sweet onions. Heat a bit of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
2. Add sweet onions, sprinkle with salt, reduce heat to medium low or low and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are extremely tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Keep heat low enough so onions are cooking but not browning; caramelizing will brown them inside-out rather than bits of browning on the outside first. Finish with a splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar, if you like.
Roasted Purple Tomatillo Salsa
Great served with chips, or mixed into rice, this awesome salsa also makes excellent sauce for enchiladas!
Ingredients:
1 pound purple tomatillos, husks removed
3-4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered
1 jalapeño pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup chopped green onion
Olive oil
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 500°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. After husking the tomatillos, rinse them well in cool water (they can be sticky). Cut the stems and hard portions (if any) off the tomatillos and cut any very large ones in half.
3. Combine the tomatillos, unpeeled garlic, onion, and the jalapeno on the lined baking sheet. Spritz with extra virgin olive oil until lightly coated and toss the ingredients with your hands to make sure they are all well-coated.
4. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. If the vegetables have not charred, turn the broiler on to high and cook for 3-5 more minutes or until the skins of the peppers and tomatillos begin to turn black. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
5. When the vegetables have cooled, carefully squeeze the skin of the roasted garlic, releasing the soft, roasted garlic clove, into the jar of a blender or work bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining roasted vegetables and then add the salt, pepper, and lime juice. Process until the desired consistency is reached and then transfer to a serving dish.
Scallion Relish
This peppy relish from Martha Stewart adds flavor to the likes of scrambled eggs or even this week’s tacos.
Ingredients:
1 Walla Walla sweet onion, finely diced
4-6 scallions, trimmed of root and tough green ends and finely diced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons sugar
Sea salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, or cilantro
Method:
1. Place onion and scallions in a bowl of ice water; soak 20 minutes.
2. Drain the onion and scallions, squeezing in paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible; transfer to a bowl. Add sugar, vinegar, herbs, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to taste. Relish can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
Quick-Pickled Okra
A crisp, crunchy, puckery treat to stash in your fridge!
Ingredients:
1 pound whole fresh okra
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons dill seeds
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
1½ cups white vinegar
1½ cups water
Method:
1. Line a couple of Mason jars with the okra, packing them as closely as possible with the stems facing upright, packing the containers to the rim, then disperse the garlic cloves, dill seeds, salt and pepper amongst the jars.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar and water to a boil, then pour it into the okra-stuffed jars, leaving about ¼-inch headspace at the top of the jar and sealing them tightly. Allow to cool to room temperature, then store them in the refrigerator, where they continue to get more pickle-y tasting, for about a month.
