When Life Gives you Onions, make ONION JAM!

I have not purchased an onion from the supermarket in so long, and I love it!

We have so many onions in our Militant Community Garden, that I won't have to buy them again in that net bag until Christmas.

We pick them when the stems are dried and falling over, then wash them off of all dirt, and let them dry out one more time. Then I cut the stems, and store the surplus in my garage, for lack of room in my cupboard.

PS My garage stinks like onions.

I decided to make a confiturra (or confit in French, or JAM in good old English!).

Because I love the Italian language, I am calling this a confiturra, like the recipe reads, but it is just an onion jam in the real world. "Confiturra" sounds so much nicer.

This recipe uses balsamic vinegar, honey and fresh rosemary. What could be bad?
The rosemary infused with the vinegar makes this a wonderful savory treat.

You can use any type of onion here, red, white, yellow, Vidalia......I used a mix of the 3 varieties we grew in the garden.

I am warning you, wear glasses to peel and slice all of the onions. My eyes really take a beating while cutting onions, it's my least favorite chore.

And since I am not a "canning" type of girl, (I've never done it, and am a bit intimidated by the whole home canning process), I gave most of the jars away, and the two that I kept for myself will stay fresh in the fridge for 2 months.

Onion Confiturra w/ Balsamic & Rosemary: (adapted from Serious Eats) (makes about 3 jelly size jars)

3 pounds peeled and trimmed onions (yellow, white, red, or a mix), about 12 medium
1/2 cup olive oil
6 long, fresh branches of rosemary (you will remove the stems later)
3 bay leaves
3 to 4 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar

Cut the onions in half and slice them thinly crosswise; you should have about 10 heaping cups of onions. Get out the tissues, cause your eyes are gonna tear.

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 or 6-quart stock pot with a tight-fitting lid and add the onions, turning them over repeatedly in the oil to coat them. Add the rosemary and bay leaves, burying them in the onions. Season the onions with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook the onions for 15 to 20 minutes, until they have softened and released their liquid, and the rosemary has wilted.

Remove the lid and add the vinegars, wine, honey, and sugar, stirring well. Season the mixture with 1 more teaspoon of salt and a few more grinds of black pepper. Maintain the heat at a steady simmer and continue to cook the onions for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, stirring the mixture often with a wooden spoon.

When the liquid has reduced by about half, pick out and remove the rosemary stems and bay leaves and continue cooking for another 30-40 minutes. Taste the confiturra and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

As the liquid continues to reduce, you must be careful to keep stirring to prevent the confiturra from scorching. Continue cooking the mixture until it is soft, sticky, and moves from the bottom of the pan as you stir, be careful not to let it caramelize.

Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then spoon it carefully into sterilized jars. Seal the jars and process in a water bath if you plan to store them, or keep the confiturra refrigerated for up to two months.

Swipe on some crostini or pair with a grilled English cheddar cheese sandwich.

I am one happy girl.

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