Onion Marmalade Recipe For Spinach Gorgonzola Tart
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Onion and marmalade seems like an unlikely combination until you taste it. The onions are nearly caramelized with just a tad of oil, and then the vinegar and sugar create the sweet and sour tang, while the mustard seed adds a bit of bite. This condiment is perfect with pulled pork in a sandwich, lamb chops on a bed of garlic-mashed potatoes, or grilled hamburgers.
Onions and garlic are from the Alliums family. They are heart-healthy food, good for preventing bone loss in menopausal women, excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, flavonoids, and chromium which helps to regulate insulin. Eating onions daily, can also lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Onions have been around for over 5,000 years. The ancient Egyptians paid the workers who built the pyramids with onions and buried their kings with onions to accompany them into the after-life. During the 6th century, onions were used for medicinal purposes in India while the Greeks and Romans enjoyed the pungency of this inexpensive vegetable to kick up their meals. Christopher Columbus took onions to the West Indies and from there they spread throughout the western hemisphere.
Not only is this recipe tasty, it is healthy, and a snap to make. You can use large yellow onions or large white sweet onions, whatever is available locally. Use apple cider vinegar or a combination of white vinegar and balsamic vinegar for more color. Onion Marmalade makes a great gourmet gift for foodies too. Put up several jars because once your guests taste some of yours, they will want their own.
Onion Marmalade
Ingredients:
• 6 large onions, sliced ¼ inch thick, rings separated
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 2 tsp sea salt or canning salt
• 3 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup yellow mustard seeds
Method:
1. Toss onions with oil and salt in a large stock pot, canning kettle, or Dutch oven.
2. Over medium heat, sweat onions, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent.
3. Continue to cook until caramelized, taking care not to char them.
4. Add vinegar, sugar, and mustard seed, stir. Continue to cook until sauce is a very thick syrup.
5. Meanwhile, wash and sterilize 6 half-pint jars and lids. Drain and keep warm.
6. Ladle marmalade into hot sterilized jars up to ¼ inch from the rims. Seal immediately.
7. Water bath in boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool completely.
8. Store in a cool pantry up to 6 months. Keep refrigerated once opened.
Spinach and Gorgonzola Tart with Onion Marmalade
Ingredients:
• 6 mini spring-form pans, 4 inch diameter
• 6 sheets of filo dough
• ½ cup melted butter
• 4 ½ cups fresh spinach, washed and spun dried
• 6 Tbsp of Onion Marmalade (recipe above)
• 3 oz gorgonzola cheese, sliced into 6 pieces
• 4 eggs beaten
• 2 cups half-n-half
• 6 pinches of nutmeg
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Brush each tart pan lightly with melted butter, set aside.
2. Thaw filo dough. Remove 6 sheets carefully to a work area.
3. Stack filo sheets and with a very sharp knife cut 6 squares, 7-8 inches in size.
4. Work with one stack of squares at a time while covering remaining stacks with a damp kitchen towel.
5. Separate the 6 layers of one stack, brush each layer with melted butter and place them, two at a time, into the tart pan so that the bottom and sides are covered. The corners should extend above the sides, yet do not overlap (like a picket fence).
6. Repeat step 4 until all tart pans are prepared.
7. Tuck ¾ cup of spinach into the bottom of each filo dough crust.
8. Top with 1 Tbsp of onion marmalade and 1 slice of gorgonzola cheese.
9. Beat eggs with half-n-half, add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Pour batter over ingredients in each tart pan. Sprinkle each tart with a pinch of nutmeg.
11. Bake in the center of the oven on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
12. Remove from oven. Cool for 5-10 minutes. Remove sides from tart pans and serve.