Strawberry Sweetheart Macarons Filled with Dark Chocolate Ganache—For Valentine’s Day!

Do you still celebrate Valentine’s Day?  I hope you do because I have a special treat for you this year.  These Strawberry Sweetheart Macarons filled with Dark Chocolate Ganache will definitely put a smile on your face, and your Valentine’s.   




My hubby and I still celebrate Valentine’s Day.  But instead of having to fight with the crowds with restaurant reservations, troubles with the L.A.’s traffics and look for a babysitter, we both enjoy celebrating right at home (yeah, that’s a sign of getting OLD!  hahahaha….).  Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy having a date night with my hubby every once in a while on special occasions, but just not on Valentine’s day when almost everyone is dining out!   




The day when I made these Strawberry Macarons, my Baby Girl was so excited and kept requesting to have more of these “heart shaped cookies”, which is how she referred to them.  When my Son got home from school, he did the same.  After he had a couple, he requested that I pack some up for him so that he can enjoy them at school the next day during snack time!  He is so spoiled!  (At least, I bet that’s what the teacher would think when she sees these Macarons in a 4 year old’s lunch bag! hahaha…) I put aside a few Macarons for my hubby’s cousin, who is visiting from Hong Kong; I packed two Macarons for my boy’s lunch bag.  And don’t know how it happened, the whole batch was gone the very next day!  There were 30+ macarons in a batch!  Oh well, I guess I’ll have to make another batch to enjoy on Valentine’s Day then.  




If you don’t feel comfortable in making your own Macarons, please refer to this post here with Tips on How to Make Perfect French Macarons.  Before I made my very first batch, I was very nervous and waited for a looong time before I got the courage to try my hands on them.  After a few trials, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks (as shared in the “How-To” post) and I’m more comfortable with them now.  I hope you’ll give them a try because they are so worth it. 




I've tasted quite a few Macarons from different places, mostly priced from $1.75 to $2.00 each.  Some tasted great, while some were not up to par.  For example, I've tried a Lychee Macaron that tasted more like a bar of soap!  Yike!  I would bet that there wasn't any real Lychee in that thing at all!  The “issue” was the use of artificial flavoring.  If you use quality ingredients and real fruit, you can really taste the difference.  I’m okay with using artificial flavoring.  But only for minor enhancements, and not as the primary source of flavor.  Since Macarons don’t like moisture, it’s much better to use freeze dried fruits in the batter for the Macarons shells.  With the broad availability on freeze dried fruit, making fruity Macaron shells with real fruit is a breeze.  My local Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Target all carry the freeze dried fruits.  Otherwise, you can always get them online here these days.   
 



I simply filled these Strawberry Sweetheart Macarons with some Dark Chocolate Ganache.  Simple and elegant.  The tartness from the strawberries really balanced well with the sweetness of these cookies (the tartness is something that the artificial flavoring cannot provide).  Strawberry and chocolate is such a classic combination, you can’t go wrong with that.  I used some Valrhona 70% Dark Chocolate to make the Ganache.  It’s rich, smooth and complex.  hm….each bite is heavenly!



I want to wish you all a beautiful, romantic and sweet Valentine’s Day!   So, what are your plans on Valentine’s day?  I would love to hear from you.




Strawberry Sweetheart Macarons with Dark Chocolate Ganache
(Printable Recipe)
Makes: 30 to 35 filled macarons



For the macaron shells:
90 grams egg whites (about 3) preferably aged 3-5 days in the fridge
pinch of kosher salt
30 grams granulated sugar
185 grams powdered sugar
110 grams almonds
10 grams freeze dried strawberries
A pinch of powdered red food coloring (optional)

Prepare the macarons:
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on high, gradually add the sugar until stiff peak forms. Place the almonds, powdered sugar, strawberries and food coloring (if using) in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add them to the meringue.

Fold the mixtures carefully until you obtain a batter that falls back on itself after counting to 10. The entire process should not take more than 50 strokes. Test a small amount on a plate; if the tops flatten on its own, the batter is ready. If there is a small beak, give the batter a couple more turns.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip with the batter and pipe batter in heart shapes (1 inch to 1.5 inches in diameter) onto parchment paper or silicone mats lined baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 280F. Let the macarons sit out at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour to harden their shells a bit and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, depending on their size. Rotate baking pans once half way through baking.

For the Dark Chocolate Ganache:
4 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Place chocolate and instant coffee in a heat proofed bowl.  In a small sauce pan, heat the heavy cream until simmer.  Pour hot cream into the bowl of chocolate mixture and stir until smooth and shinny.  Let cool slightly before use.

To Assemble:
With a small teaspoon, fill 1 macaron shell with a teaspoon of cooled chocolate ganache and top with another shell.  Fill the rest of the macaron shells.  Place filled macarons in room temperature until chocolate ganache harden.


This recipe is shared with:

Pink Saturday
Sweets for Saturday
Everyday Sister Sharing Sunday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
Theme Baker Sunday
Mingle Monday
I'm Loving' It
These Chicks Cooked
Foodie Friday
Friday Food
Kitchen Fun and Craft Friday
Friday Favorite

Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms

These Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms are super adorable and look just like the real thing.  They are crunchy and sweet, the total opposite of the real mushrooms.  The only thing they have in common are their appearance and weight.  These Meringue Mushrooms are light and airy.  They are really easy to make and only needs a few ingredients.  Let’s take a look at how to make them, shall we?

After beating the meringue, use a 1/2-inch plain round tip to pipe the “stems” first.  Have the tip around half an inch above the baking sheet and lift the piping bag upward while gently adding pressure on the pastry bag to release the meringue.  When it reach the height you desired, stop the pressure and continue lifting the pastry bag.  If some of them tilted to the side, don’t worry, that will make them look more natural.  



Then, pipe the mushroom “caps”.  Have the piping tip around 1/4-inch above the baking sheet and gently add pressure on the pastry bag to release meringue until it’s the size/diameter you want.  I pipe my caps at around 1 to 1 1/2-inch in diameter.  When it reached the size you want, stop the pressure and turn the pastry tip around the piped cap.  If the meringue leaves a pointy tip, gently pad on the tip with a damp finger to achieve a smooth surface.



Bake at 200 degree F for 2 hours and they’re done.  After they are cooled, cut the tips off the stems so you get a flat surface. 



Melt the chocolate chips and spread a thin layer on the flat side of the cap.



Place the cut side of the step onto the melted chocolate and let the chocolate set.



You can leave them as is for white button mushrooms.



Or, dust them with cocoa powder and brush the excess off with a pastry brush for a more rustic and natural look.



When I was taking picture of these meringue mushrooms, my Baby Girl heard the click click click sounds from the camera and she knows Mommy is taking pictures of some yummy treats.    She just reach over the bowl, grabbed a mushroom, gave me the sweetest smile and started munching.  She finished it in no time and had another. 



Now, you have these cute little Meringue mushrooms to munch on or save a few for decorations. I will show you what I did with them on my next post. So, stay tuned.







Vanilla Meringue Mushrooms (Printable Recipe)



2 large egg whites, at room temperature
a pinch of kosher salt
1/2 cup caster (superfine baker's) sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (act as “glue” for the stems)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (for dusting)

Preheat the oven 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tarar, and salt until frothy, about 2 minute. With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Then, add the vanilla extract.  Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick, shiny and holds stiff peaks, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round plain tip. Pipe the “stems” first as the meringue still holds up well.  Have the pastry tip around half an inch above the baking sheet and lift the piping bag upward while gently adding pressure on the pastry bag to release the meringue. When it reach the height you desired, stop the pressure and continue lifting the pastry bag. If some of them tilted to the side, don’t worry, that will make them look more natural.

Then, pipe the mushroom “caps”. Have the piping tip around 1/4-inch above the baking sheet and gently add pressure on the pastry bag to release meringue until it’s the size/diameter you want. I pipe my caps at around 1 to 1 1/2-inch in diameter. When it reached the size you want, stop the pressure and turn the pastry tip around the piped cap. If the meringue leaves a pointy tip, gently pad on the tip with a damp finger to achieve a smooth surface.

Bake for 2 hours and let cool on a wiring rack.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chip on high.  Stir every 30 second intervals until melted.  Let melted chocolate cool slightly. 

Cut the tips off the stems so you get a flat surface.  Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on the flat side of the cap.  Place the cut side of the step onto the melted chocolate and let the chocolate set. Dust them with cocoa powder and brush the excess off with a pastry brush for a more rustic and natural look.

This recipe is Shared with:

Foodie Friday
Sweets For Saturday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Strut Your Stuff Saturday

Gingersnaps Café au Lait

Since I’ve shared with you my signature cocktail for the holiday season here, it’s only fair that I share a hot beverage with you to accompany your dessert at the end of your holiday feast.  Here you have it—Gingersnaps Café au Lait!



I thought my all time favorite hot beverage was a cup of coffee, with lots of cream.  That’s what helps me wake up every morning, anyways.  Well, I was wrong all along, so wrong.  Hm….maybe I should say, I just found my new favorite.    This Gingersnap Café au Lait will get you hooked. 



This Gingersnaps Café au Lait is loaded with the warm spices from the ginger syrup.  The cinnamon is sweet and earthy, paired nicely with the ginger and liquorish-y star anise.  The milk is silky and sweet, go hand in hand with the strong coffee aroma.  It’s the best Holiday hot beverage you’ll ever had, I promised.  Yes, better than the hot apple cider, in my opinion.  This Gingersnaps Café au Lait is perfect with a few gingersnaps cookies for afternoon tea as well. I’ll post the cookies recipe in the near future.



Thanks to Lauren from Healthy Delicious for the inspiration for this drink.  I’m submitting this post to Kitchen PLAY.  This month, Calphalon is sponsoring a wonderful giveaway at Kitchen PLAY. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter.  All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win a Calphalon Kitchen Electrics prize valued at $100 (6 prizes total).  The deadline is November 30, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!









Gingersnaps Café au Lait Printable Recipe
Serves 4
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2-inch of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 cloves
1/2 cup milk
4 cups freshly brewed strong coffee

In a small pot, heat the sugars, water, ginger slices, cinnamon, star anise and cloves over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat to low and let mixture simmer for another 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, covered and let the syrup steep for 1 hour. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve and discard the spices.  Transfer syrup to a bottle until ready to serve.

In a small pot, heat milk over low heat, until scaled and do not let it boil.  Combine the coffee, warmed milk, 4 tablespoons of gingerbread syrup, and divide between four glasses.  Top with whipped cream and enjoy with Gingersnaps cookies.


This recipe is shared with:

Success U
Foodie Friday
Full Plate Thursday
Sweets for Saturdays

Yuzu Gin & Tonic

I can’t believe there are only a few days left before Thanksgiving (for those who live in the States)!  Are you ready for the celebration, gathering and fun?  I know it’s quite chilling out there especially for those who live in areas that have already started snowing.  If you are one of the 'lucky' few, you would probably consider serving a pot of hot apple ciders during your gatherings instead.  However, I think it’s also important to offer a variety of drinks at a party.  I mean, what is a celebration without a signature cocktail, right?  With your heater at full blast, I’m sure some of your Guests would appreciate a refreshing cocktail while celebrating the holidays with you.    



I got a bottle of yuzu juice from a Japanese supermarket recently.  Originally, I purchased the yuzu juice to marinate some fish (I’ll post that recipe in the future).  Yuzu is a citrus fruit and plant originated in East Asia. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. The fruit looks a bit like a very small grapefruit with an uneven skin, and can be either in yellow or green color depending on the level of ripeness.  The citrus flavor from a yuzu is very distinctive.  It’s a combination of tart, slightly sweet, and a hint of bitterness flavor.  In my opinion, it’s perfect for this cocktail!  If you can't find a Japanese or Asian market that carry the yuzu juice, you can also purchase it online here.



This Yuzu Gin & Tonic is super easy to prepare.  Which means it is perfect for parties and gatherings! Here’s what I did.  I used an 6-ounce glass, filled with about 1/4 cup of crushed ice.  Add 10 splashes of yuzu juice (about 1/2 teaspoon), then add a shot of dry gin.  Last but not least, fill the glass with tonic water.  That’s it.  It’s unbelievably refreshing and tasty.  I’ve been enjoying this goodness ever since the first time I’ve mixed this cocktail up accidentally.



Below is a close up picture of the yuzu bottle.  Make sure to get the 100% yuzu juice but not yuzu marinate or anything that has a “filler”.   If you look closer, you can see that I have almost finished the entire bottle already.  Gosh, I better get a new bottle before it runs out.  The yuzu juice is great in this cocktail and many marinate recipes.



I hope you’ll try this easy and refreshing cocktail this holiday season in your gatherings.  Remember, know your limits and drink responsibly.  The most important thing is to have a fun and safe holiday.  I want to thank you all of you for reading and stopping by today.  I wish you and your family a fun, festive, and blessed Thanksgiving!  Don’t forget to count your blessings.  I know I have a long list and many reasons to be grateful for this year.  Happy Thanksgiving!







Yuzu Gin & Tonic Printable Recipe
Serves 4 (feel free to double or triple the recipe for gatherings)
1 cup of crushed ice
2 teaspoons of yuzu juice
4 shots of dry gin
2 cups tonic water
4 citrus peel (for garnish)

Equally divide the crushed ice into 4 (6 ounce) glasses.  Add 10 splashes (about (1/2 teaspoon) of yuzu juice into each glass.  Then add a shot of dry gin in each glass and fill the glasses up with tonic water. Top with a citrus peel for garnish.  Enjoy!


This recipe is shared with:

Tuesday Talent Show
On the Menu Monday

Little Old Lady Recipes Book Review—Candied Nuts Recipe And a Giveaway

Have you ever giggled while reading a recipe book?  It’s hard not to if you have the “Little Old Lady Recipes-Comfort Food and Kitchen Table Wisdom” on your hands.  I had such a wonderful time reading through the recipes and "Kitchen Table Wisdom" over the weekend.

“When it comes to comfort food, little old ladies know what's up. They know what will taste good, how to fatten up a family, and what will leave their diners craving seconds (if not thirds and fourths). Collecting these gum-smacking, finger-licking-good recipes from the matriarchs of society is Little Old Lady Recipes by Meg Favreau.”

Book Cover Image from Quirk Books’ site

“Little Old Lady Recipes honors the extraordinary women who create pot luck dinners, church socials, wedding banquets, and the best desserts you've ever tasted. Every page features their simple, no-frills recipes for pot roast, meat loaf, dumplings, corn bread, fried chicken, bundt cake, and other mouth-watering favorites-along with gorgeous photography of the chefs at work and generous portions of their kitchen table wisdom ("Butter comes from a cow. Tell me where the heck margarine comes from, and then maybe I'll eat it!").”




I followed one of the little old ladies’ advise and recipe and made some of these scrumptious Candied Pecans. “A good hostess makes big show-stopping meals, but a great hostess pays attention to the details. Place a bowl of these nuts in every room guests occupy during the cocktail hour before a dinner party; it’ll give them something to munch on and help ensure people don’t get sauced too quickly.” I took the advise a step further and packaged some of these candied pecans for guests to take home after the party. They are great for holiday gift-giving as well!



Here are a couple Kitchen Table Wisdoms that I love….”A grandmother isn’t the same thing as a restaurant. Shut up and eat the eggs.”—Ruth, transcriptionist, 77. LOL…Does that sound familiar or what?
Here’s another one, “Club soda is a wonderful thing. You can use it to remove any stain, or mix it with gin and drink until you don’t care about the stain anymore.”—Chastity, deli clerk, 72. 



While I was searching which wonderful recipe to make from the Little Old Lady Recipes book, I came across this quote on the Pumpkin Butter Recipe.  “Like good-looking people, pretty pumpkins are often really stupid on the inside.  Find an ugly, knobby variety for this recipe, because it’s likely to be sweeter.  Also keep this point in mind when looking for a husband….”  Opps…..I guess it’s too late for me to follow this advise as I’m already married to my handsome hubby for 7 years now.  hahahaha….

The Little Old Lady Recipes book is definitely a fun book to read for all.  Guess what, the size of the book will make it the perfect stocking stuffer as well!  Pack it along with a bag of these Candied Pecans and you’ll be all set.  For sure your foodie friends and family would waive about them. 

Rules for the Giveaway:

With the courtesy of Quirk Books, one lucky uTry.it reader (with an U.S. mailing address only) will have a chance to win a copy of The Little Old Lady Recipes Book.   You have until November 27th, 12 midnight PST to enter this giveaway.  Winner will be announced and contacted via email shortly after the deadline.

Mandatory Entry: 

Simply leave a comment and tell me what your favorite holiday treat is.  

Additional Entries: (You can do any or all of the following, just leave a separate comments for each entry.  If you already did, they do count.  Simply leave a comment to tell me so.)

1) Add uTry.it to your Google+ circle.  (See sidebar to the right)
2) Click on the +1 button. (See sidebar to the right)
3) “Like” uTry.it’s Facebook page.  Here’s the link. 

4) Follow uTry.it on Twitter.  Here’s the link.

5) Tweet about this giveaway.  Or share this giveaway with your Facebook friends.
6) Subscribe to my blog via email.  You’ll receive an email to verify the subscription.  

7) Subscribe via RSS feed.

Good luck everyone!




Disclaimer: I was given a copy of The Little Old Lady Recipe Book free of charge for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any other way.  All opinions are 100% my own and always will be.






Candied Nuts (adopted from Little Old Lady Recipes)
Printable Recipe
2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups pecan halves or other nuts*
a dash of vanilla extract*

Whisk egg whites with a spoonful of water (*I substituted with a dash of vanilla extract instead).  Combine everything else but the nuts in another bowl.  Coat the nuts in egg whites.  Toss in sugar mixture.  Spread on a greased baking sheet and bake 45 minutes at 250F, stirring occasionally. 

*Note: The original recipe calls for 2 cups of nuts only.  I was able to cover all 4 cups of pecans halves with the same amount of egg whites and sugar mixture.


This post is shared with:

Foodie Friday
Sweet Tooth Friday
Simply Delish
Friday Food and Recipe
Friday Potluck
This Week's Craving

Smoky Butternut Squash Soup—A Guest Post for Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms

I was thrilled and honored when Jane from Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms invited me to write a guest post for her.  I’ve been following Jane’s blog for many months now and I’ve always enjoyed reading her blog.  If you have not visited her blog yet, you should.  In addition to simple and delicious make-ahead meals recipes, you can also find wonderful giveaways, Linky party/Blog Hop, news, and inspirations from her life stories….etc.  Jane is a busy mom of two, a second grade and preschool teacher, and the author of the wonderful blog Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms.  I don’t know how she finds the time to do it all.  All I can say is that I’m very inspired and impressed by her achievements.



Did I mention this is my very first time doing a guest post?  Oh yes, it is.  More fun than I can imagine, too.  When I was testing out recipes for this guest post, I wanted to prepare something seasonal and one that can be made-ahead!    As a busy Mom myself, I can definitely take advantage of making some meals ahead for my family.  This is one of the most tasty recipe for the season.  Best of all, it’s super easy to prepare and it tastes even better after a day or two.  This recipe is definitely a keeper and you can bet that I have a batch in my fridge that I can easily heat up for tonight’s dinner.  With the temperature getting lower and lower, a hot bowl of Smoky Butternut Squash Soup will definitely warm your heart, soul, and tummy as well.  If you haven’t cut a butternut squash before, here’s how.  Just a few simple steps.



First, with a very sharp knife, cut off a small piece of the skin on the bottom of the squash (as shown in picture #2) so the squash can stand flat without moving around.  Then, cut the squash in half like picture #3 above.  Next, cut/peel off the skin around while the squash is standing flat on the cutting board.  You can do the same with the top half of the squash.  Somehow, I find it easier to peel the top half with a vegetable peeler.  Then, split the bottom half of the squash in half (as shown in picture #4) and spoon out the seeds.  Cube the squash and you’re all done.  Just be very careful and the squash can be slippery.  It a lot safer and easier to use a sharp knife to cut the squash.



The smoky flavor in this recipe came from a chipotle pepper that I added.  It adds a lot of smokiness and some heat to the soup.  If you’re serving the soup for younger kids and only want the smokiness but not the heat, you can definitely replace the chipotle with a tablespoon of smoke paprika, which only have smoky flavor but not the heat.  Besides Butternut squash in this recipe, I added a little red yam for sweetness to balance out the heat and smoky flavor.  I also added a little bit of freshly grated ginger for earthiness to round out the overall flavor.  When ready to serve, put a dollop of crème fraîche for creaminess and a teaspoon or so of toasted pine nuts for some crunch.  You can serve this soup as a side dish or bigger portion with toasts or baguette as a meal.  Either way, your tummy and family will thank you. 



You can store this soup in the fridge (without the crème fraîche and nuts, only add those right before serving) for up to a week.  Or, you can store the soup in the freezer for even longer.  Simply heat it up on the stove right before you serve and that is faster than ordering take-outs, and a lot healthier too!  I hope you’re enjoying the cooler temperature that the season brings.  I know I am.  With a healthy soup such as this one, it is satisfying and tasty.  It’s simple enough to make on a weeknight for the family and it’s also elegant enough to serve if you have guests visiting.



Thank you again, Jane, for inviting me to write a guest post for your blog.  It’s been a pleasure and I had so much fun preparing this recipe and photo shoot.  I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as I do.  Thank you everyone for visiting and reading today.  Don’t forget to hop over to Jane’s blog to check it out and have fun.  Until next time, please take care and I’ll see you real soon.





I'm submitting this recipe to the Holiday Recipe Swap as well.  Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Pacific Natural Foods.




Smoky Butternut Squash Soup Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small leek, use white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed well
1 Granny Smith (green) apple, cored, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 pounds Butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound red yam, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups chicken/vegetable stock
1 medium chipotle chili (canned in adobo sauce), can substitute with 1 tablespoon of smoke paprika for no heat version of this recipe
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute garlic and leek until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add apple, ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Add butternut squash, yam and stock; simmer until squash and yam are tender, about 15 minutes. Add chipotle or paprika.

Working in batches, transfer mixture to a blender, and puree until smooth; transfer pureed soup to a large bowl or another pot. For safety, remove cap from the blender lid and cover with a dish towel to prevent spattering. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dollop a teaspoon of crème fraîche and a teaspoon of toasted pine nuts right before serving.


This Recipe is Shared with :

Melt in your Mouth Monday
On the Menu Monday
Mingle Monday
Homemaker Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Success U
Squash Love Blog Hop
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
I'm Lovin' It
Fresh Bite Friday
Everyday Sisters Sharing Sunday

Onion Chutney with Red Wine

Have you ever made chutney at home?  Chut what?    Chutney is a condiment used in South Asian cuisines that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.  Vinegar or citrus juice are usually used as preservatives.  The texture of chutney could range from coarse to fine; it can also be wet or dry.  If you haven’t make chutney before, you might want to read on and check this recipe out.



There are quite a few ingredients in this recipe and the good news is, you might already have everything in your pantry.  It takes a while to cook down the onions but the process is super straight forward.  Believe it or not, the most you need to do are just some chopping and stirring, that's about it.  The stove top and time will work the "magic" for you.  Oh, and tasting at the end, and perhaps do some "ooo-ing" and "arr-ing" when you're surprised by how tasty these simple ingredients can turned out.  Really, nothing too complicated and the end result is unbelievably irresistible.  Just keep in mind, your patience will be rewarded.  
   


I got some beautiful chilies from my In-Law’s garden and they were perfect for this recipe.  The heat from the chilies balanced perfectly with the sweetness of the onions.  You can also substitute the chillies with a Jalapeno if you like.  I love the flavor that are combined from the bay leaves and fresh thyme.  They were earthy and fresh; a great compliment to each other.  The dry red wine added the depth of flavor to the chutney.  The combination is really magical and tasty.

Guess what?  I’m adding this wonderful recipe to my Christmas homemade gift-giving list.    Since this recipe only yields about 3 cups, which fits into 2 or 3 jars depending on the size of the jars.  You might want to double or even triple this recipe up when you are canning them for gift-giving.  I can't believe Christmas is only two months from now, time really flies.



How did I enjoy the chutney?  Here’s what I did….I spread my favorite creamy cheese on a piece of cracker, and pile high with these Onion Chutney with Red Wine on top.  It’s the perfect two-bite appetizer.  You can use goat cheese, herbed cheese or anything you preferred.  I can imagine this chutney would be a lovely addition on top of some creamy soup as well.  Before I go blend up the soup, I need to hurry up and submit this recipe to Kitchen PLAY.   


The National Onion Association is also sponsoring a wonderful giveaway at Kitchen PLAY. Simply recreate any one recipe from this month’s Progressive Party, post about the experience on your blog and provide a link to your post on Kitchen PLAY to enter. All qualifying bloggers in each course will be entered to win $100 (6 prizes total).  The deadline is October 31, 2011. Please review the complete contest rules before entering. Good luck!  Thank you Jamie, from My Baking Addition, for the inspiration for this recipe.

Hope you will try this recipe out and let me know what you think.  







Onion Chutney with Red Wine Printable Recipe
Yield: 3 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 chilies, I used 1 green and 1 red, finely diced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 dry red wine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat.  Add the onions and shallots followed by salt and pepper.  Toss the onions slices so the salt and pepper distributed evenly.  The salt will help the onions to sweat out.  Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes on low heat. 

When the onions are soften, add the chilies, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, dry red wine, brown sugar, bay leaf and thyme leaves.  Stir the ingredients to ensure everything is well mixed.  Simmer on low uncover, for another hour to hour and a half, until no liquid remains.  Stir occasionally during the first hour of cooking. 

In the last 15 minutes, stir more frequently to prevent the onions from burning.  Allow chutney to cool slightly before storing into jars or airtight containers. Refrigerate when the chutney is completely cooled.




This recipe is shared with:

Tuesday Talent Show
Mingle Monday
Melt in Your Mouth Monday
On The Menu Monday
Success U
Full Plate Thursday
Foodie Friday
I'm Lovin' It
Friday Favorite
MomTrend Friday Food
Sweets For Saturday
Everyday Sister Sharing Sunday