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Lets make Jam

Dooney’s Onion Jam

There are times in your life when you need validation. Believe me, even the best and most confident of us need it sometimes. Whether it is with work, or with your passion, even in relationships. Especially when it is with something you put your heart and soul into. You may not say it out loud, because you may sound childish, needy or whiny. Self validation definitely trumps someone else’s that’s a given, and it is important that you learn to validate yourself. I think I do fine in that category, but once in a while, a little external validation, goes a long way.

In relation to jam, my validation, the cherry on top came last Friday from a Cordon Bleu trained Chef. I was looking through BN Cuisine last Friday and Gbugbemi a.k.a Chef Fregz’s (whom I have mad respect for) words that leaped off the page for me.Click HERE

“The other day whilst doing the usual scrolling through Instagram, Sister Dooney dropped a chilli jam recipe and I almost took a spoon to scoop my share from my screen”.

For anyone else, it would just have read normal and they would have scrolled by, but for me, I stopped, read those words, over and over again and smiled, internally dancing a jig, I think I must have danced a little on my chair. Yes, people, 30 words made my day (oh, yes, I counted, lol). Validation!!!! My recipe, my Rodo Jam, it got noticed, noticed enough to be mentioned, noticed enough to inspire Chef Fregz’s Thai Chilli Sweet Sauce, which I am definitely going to try. On my next trip home, I am going with jars and jars of my Rodo Jam. Extra, extra, read all about it, you can place your orders now. Lol

Today, I am writing about Jam again, this time Onion Jam. It has been on the list to try for months now. When I made Rodo Jam (recipe HERE) it bumped up to the top of the list, I still forgot, then a series of events brought it all home. After attending the Walkers Chips launch event (read HERE), I wrote to The English Provender Company telling them how much I loved their Caramelised Red Onion Chutney. I introduced myself as a Nigerian food blogger and asked if I could get samples sent to me for a Product Review to introduce their products to a possibly relatively unknown market, Nigerians and West Africans in the UK and beyond, who read this blog. They replied almost immediately, got their PR company in London to contact me, and products were shipped. They could just have ignored my email, but from on High, He just sent me the validation I needed. Two days after, a reader Oyinlola wrote to me and said Dunni’ can you please try Onion and Bacon Jam. Twice in one week, okay, okay, I have to make this jam now, and so I did the last weekend with my friend A, with a little of this and that, some extra special hush hush ingredients. There is no bacon/alcohol in this recipe for the benefit of my Muslim readers. The next batch of this jam would be made with Bacon. I already have other possible add-ons, but for now, Let’s Cook:

You will need

1/2 tsp of Nutmeg
1/2 – 1 tsp of Cayenne Pepper – dry pepper 
2 pieces of red onions
1 knob of butter
1 clove of garlic – try the smoked variety
A pinch of salt
60 – 70g of Brown Sugar – you can try white
Water
60 – 80ml Balsamic vinegar
Sterilised jar

Dooney’s Kitchen Tip: make sure you have your jar sterilised and ready, so you can store immediately and retain moisture. This is especially important if you live in temperate regions. If you have no restrictions with alcohol, red wine or sherry works beautifully with this jam

How To

1.  Chop red onions. Let me tell you a little story. A, told me about the supposed myth about chewing gum while chopping onions. I snickered saying, old wives tale. She said, put it to the test. With my reputation at stake here, I can authoritatively tell you guys now that IT WORKS. I would have used a chopper bowl for this, but I chopped two large red onions while chewing gum and my eyes did not sting one bit. Until (yes, there is an until), I stopped concentrating on chewing and the sting came back. Apparently there is a scientific explanation as to why this works. Please don’t ask. Looool.

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this brand right here is one of the best balsamic vinegar brands out there. Gourmet quality, I tell you, all the way from Italy.

2. In a heavy based or non stick pan, melt a knob of butter

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3. Add the chopped onions and garlic to the pan and stir. Lower the heat to medium. Now it is time to let the onions sweat down and caramelise. This recipe will teach you patience, but the results are so worth it.

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first stage – sweating down the onions

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keep going, ensure you stir regularly, otherwise it will burn. If it starts to show signs of burning, further lower the heat

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you are finally on your way there

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4. Notice how the onions have started to come together, and have reduced in size. This would take you at least 25 minutes.

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5. Add the sugar. I used Demerara, you can use caster sugar. If you have no caster sugar at home, just blitz granulated sugar in a mill till it becomes fine

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stir and watch the sugar crystals combine and start to dissolve.

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5. Once almost dissolved, add the Balsamic Vinegar. Balsamic vinegar and onions are a match made in food heaven. The dark, caramelised colour of onion jam comes mostly from balsamic vinegar, and I am cooking with one of the best.

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now it is time to play another round of the waiting game. You need to allow the balsamic to slowly reduce with the sugar and onions.

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6. Before the balsamic vinegar totally reduces, add a teaspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of salt and dry pepper.

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and keep allowing the contents of the pan to reduce

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7. You know you are there when the balsamic has totally taken over in terms of colour and the contents of the pan doesn’t come off easily from the spoon i.e. the consistency of jam

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I needed to thin it out a bit, with water, because I didn’t get a sterilised jar immediately, and it congealed more than I liked. If you find that you don’t need to, don’t. Otherwise add water or red wine vinegar.

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Serve immediately, with unusual bits of food, like this piece of grilled Sausage. It is still summer in many parts of the world, try this at your next barbecue, and watch your guests’s face light up at an unusual item on your menu. Especially with burgers or grilled meat. Yum!!!!

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Put some jazz into your breakfast, by serving some sweet and savoury Onion Jam.

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Or Go Food Fusion by serving it as a dip with Plantain Chips or Gurudi (coconut chips). I made another batch with much smaller sized onions, to make the jam less chunky.

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I don’t have a preference. Chunky or smoother, both very delicious.

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13 Comments

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FILED UNDER: Lets make Jam
TAGGED WITH: balsamic vinegar, dooney's rodo jam, onion jam
Dooney

About Dooney

Dooney is the blogger, recipe developer and photographer for Dooney's Kitchen. I spend my days trying to figure out creative ways to redefine Nigerian food, either by creating a new dish itself using ingredients in ways that have never been used before, or changing the approach to Nigerian cooking using kitchen gadgets.

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Comments

  1. AvatarVee says

    August 4, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    What an intriguing recipe…I’ll give this a try once I can find Balsamic Vinegar.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      August 4, 2014 at 3:47 pm

      Thank you Vee. I do hope you find Balsamic Vinegar. This jam is definitely one to try

      Reply
      • AvatarVee says

        August 4, 2014 at 3:53 pm

        But Rooney, what substitute for Balsamic vinegar is readily available in nigeria. I live in PH. And also, the normal magarine can subsist in place of butter right?

        Reply
        • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

          August 4, 2014 at 3:54 pm

          Red wine would be the closest substitute I can think off to help you get the caramelisation going, Also add any other type of vinegar that you can find e.g white vinegar

          Reply
  2. AvatarFirstlady says

    August 4, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    Dooneyrooney dear, pls I want to digress a bit. Kindly give me recipes for standard cakes and meatpie, thanks.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      August 5, 2014 at 12:09 pm

      Hi First lady, I have the recipe for 2 cakes and meat pie on the blog

      Reply
  3. AvatarNaijamum in L. says

    August 4, 2014 at 9:32 pm

    This looks yum
    Anything jam, chutney etc…..I’m sold
    Especially with a nice slab of steak 🙂

    Ps I hope you are watching the new cookery programme on More4 ‘Cook’s Questions’…I’m sure you’ll enjoy it…..really informative
    xxxx

    Reply
  4. AvatarArike ade says

    August 4, 2014 at 9:59 pm

    Well done Dooney, must try this definitely as my family can’t do without Rodo jam. Thank you and God bless!

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      August 5, 2014 at 12:07 pm

      Oh, yes you must, another addition to your pantry.

      Reply
  5. AvatarFolake says

    August 5, 2014 at 9:16 am

    This is good ooo ,I will definitely try thi jare @dooney thanks

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      August 5, 2014 at 11:55 am

      Oh, please try it Folake, you would enjoy it, trust me

      Reply
  6. AvatarSeunfunmi says

    August 5, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Dooney …..o o o o I will definitely try this and the rodo jam. I just need to get the basalmic vinegar. In case is can’t get d red onion, can I substitute white onion instead?. Thanks.

    Reply
    • dooneyrooneydooneyrooney says

      August 6, 2014 at 6:10 pm

      Red onions are the purple looking types we use mostly in Nigerian cooking. They are quite easy to find, and i will suggest that you use them instead of white. try red wine in place of balsamic

      Reply

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