Apple Onion Rosemary Jam - Toast Topper #90

Apple Onion Rosemary Jam is sweet, sour, savoury and an excellent condiment alongside cheese and crackers or topping roast beef. No pectin and very little sugar needed - it all comes from the produce!

 

 

Are you a condiment person? I, for one, was always a huge fan of spicy, tangy accompaniments to a traditional Sunday roast dinner, and if I was at a party with a platter of cheese and relishes - heaven! My mom is also a fan of sweet-sour-savoury condiments, especially things like chutney. So, while our family gatherings this year have been quite scaled back, it just means that I don't have to share everything I make! (Just kidding, I love to share).

This jam was inspired by a cheese board spread I saw in the local wine store's magazine, where they had a little bowl of onion jam alongside oozy Brie and sharp Cheddar, toast points and crackers. I still had a bounty of apples hanging out in the fridge and I always have onions in the pantry, so I gave it a go with a recipe I found on Just a Pinch. I added a pinch of rosemary that I had dried from this summer's herb garden, which really lent a savoury note to the mixture and played off the sweet apples and brown sugar well, in addition to the garlic and black pepper. 

 

It is worth noting this is a small batch recipe - it only makes two cups or so - but because there is no pectin to mess around with it is fairly scale-able. It is also a weapon to have in the fridge or freezer all year round, since while it's great on roast beef it would also play nicely with a hearty beef burger or even a grilled cheese sandwich. Whatever you feel needs a pop of flavour, this will suffice!

 

Apple Onion Rosemary Jam

Adapted from Just a Pinch

Makes ~2 cups

2 tbsp canola oil

3 large onions, chopped

4 medium apples, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tbsp dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups apple juice

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat.
2. Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes, until they are softened and beginning to take on some colour.
3. Add the apples and cook 15 minutes, until everything is beginning to caramelize.
4. Stir in the sugar and vinegar to coat, then add the garlic, rosemary, pepper and salt.
5. Cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
6. Add the apple juice and stir to deglaze, bring to a brisk simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until thick and "sticky".
7. Store in the fridge up to 1 month or freeze.