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Confit d'oignons
Onion confit
Confit d'oignons: sweet-sour slow-cooked onion confit for cheese and terrines
Confit d'oignons is the jammy, slow-cooked onion relish served across France with pâtés and terrines, cheese boards and goat's cheese toasts, and it is a favourite home-made gift at Christmas. Onions are softened very slowly in olive oil, then simmered with sugar and vinegar until dark and sticky. The traditional recipe often adds red wine; this version uses red grape juice and red wine vinegar so it is alcohol-free. The common mistake is rushing the first stage, so the onions stay sharp. Chef's tip: cook them at a gentle heat for a full 30 minutes before adding the sugar.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb red onionsthinly sliced
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 ½ oz light brown sugar
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup red grape juice
- 1 bay leaf
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Cook the 2 ¼ lb red onions in the 3 tbsp olive oil with the 3 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf and a pinch of salt and pepper over a low heat, covered, stirring now and then, for 30 minutes until very soft.
30 minStep 2: Add the 3 ½ oz light brown sugar, ¼ cup red wine vinegar and ¾ cup red grape juice, and simmer uncovered for 30–40 minutes, stirring more often towards the end, until dark, thick and jammy and a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a trail.
40 minStep 3: Remove the herbs, season and pot into sterilised jars. Keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does confit d'oignons take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of red onions?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of light brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tsp honey or golden syrup per 100g.
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