Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Food of the Week...Onions


Not a day goes by... that I don't use an onion... somehow... somewhere... in my cooking.

They are the perfect start to almost any dish... raw or cooked...

Full of cancer fighting compounds... they also help to stave off infection and viruses...

People tend to have a Love/Hate relationship with onions... they either love em or hate em... not in between.

Almost any onion can be made milder and sweeter by cooking it.  I LOVE the Red/Purple onions... they have a great bite and a gorgeous color.  Vidalias, when in season, are another fave... they are so sweet, you can almost bite into them like an apple...almost...

Every pot of soup, stir fry, pasta sauce, salad, taco mixture, meatball, burger, you name it... starts out with chopped or sliced onion...saute'd in my house...  Add garlic... and the aroma is sheer heaven... and it permeates the neighborhood.  My neighbors always tell  me they can smell my cooking from the street.

One of my MOST favorite recipes is an Apricot Chicken dish... that is divine, and it features an onion sauce that is OUT OF THIS WORLD... I made the recipe up all by myself when I was just starting out cooking from scratch... when I needed to "use what I had"... and it's become a family favorite...
I call it Alex Chicken... because it's my Alex's favorite dish...

Here's what you'll need...

10 chicken thighs, skin removed and all visible fat trimmed off

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 - 3/4 cup Apricot Pineapple Jam/marmalade

1 cup any kind of wine you like or 1 cup beef broth if you don't do wine

Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp butter

Put a little olive oil into a screaming hot frying pan, and sear those chicken thighs until golden brown and the juices run clear...
Remove chicken and set aside...
Reserve drippings (there won't be much... if you defatted)
Throw in onions and saute until translucent and almost browning
Add wine/broth
Add jam
Add butter
Stir and simmer to thicken sauce...
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Bring the chicken back into the sauce and simmer another few minutes...

Make some mashed Sweet Potatoes or some Brown Rice or Cous Cous and some
lovely Green Beans... and EAT UP!!!
The sauce is AWESOME over rice or couscous and as a gravy over the potatoes...

It's even good the next day cold...

Enjoy!!!


Onions... they are a great thing!!!

9 comments:

  1. I'm gonna try this one tonight sounds YUM!!!

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  2. I LOVE onions! Use in in my soups too.

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  3. Did this one tonight! amazing! You are a wonderful cook and your recipes are so easy to follow.
    Sanela

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  4. I posted an article on Onions on LDL Boards about how they absorb viruses and bacteria. We know a lady in her late 60's who has a mother in her 90's who says her mother believes the secret to her good health and longevity is that she consumes lots of onions!

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  5. Anything with JAM and Wine has to be deeelish!

    And I love onions too!

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  6. I didn't know that onions were so good for you. I thought that they were just a filler. I do love roasted red onions. I am going to make the chicken tonight.

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  7. Love love onions and this is another great dish Sandra.. Thanks :) Louise

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  8. Sandra, when you put these recipes up...can you put a little note about whether ok LDL wise or not..i'm assuming maybe not ok this one cuz of the marmalade? Or what you do so you can eat it? If you have time or think of it..thanks sweetie

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