Monday, April 4, 2011

Spring Onion Jam Bruschetta



 The time has come for another Progressive Party. Progressive Parties, in case you are wondering, are a wonderful way for bloggers to get involved with companies or sponsors to showcase their creative side in coming up with unique recipes. Six bloggers taking a stab at one ingredient in six different courses, sounds like fun, right? The parties are the brainchild of Casey and are hosted over at Kitchen Play where you can find all the info and can check out today's and previous parties.

Many of you might remember my previous involvement last November when I created the "Bloody Olivia". Imagine my excitement when I was chosen again. This month the "mystery" ingredient happens to be spring onions or sweet onions and is sponsored by the National Onion Association. When I first received the assignment and it said spring onions, I was actually a little puzzled and wasn't quite sure what they were. Thankfully with some research on the association's great website, I was ready to get in the kitchen and start creating.  Spring onions are also called sweet onions and are typically available from March through August. They tend to have a much lighter, thinner papery skin and are sweeter than storage or fall onions. Their moisture content is also higher and with that, they are actually more susceptible to bruising. Some common trade-names that you all might be familiar with are Walla Walla Sweets, Maui Sweets and the ever popular Vidalia Onions just to name a few.


For this progressive party I was assigned the appetizer course and decided to go with Walla Walla Sweets for my dish. I was still able to find them at my grocery store in the fall, which is when I was assigned with this party. Unfortunately this particular kind won't be available again until the June time frame, but there are many other options that will work just as well, like Vidalias. Just head on over to the National Onion Associations' website to see what's available. Coming up with a recipe wasn't quite as easy as one might think. I use onions on a daily basis in my cooking at home and we are typically a family of onion lovers. However, I wanted to make sure to create a dish that showcased the onions' sweet taste, but was also light and "spring like" tasting.  My first instinct was to go with bruschetta which I love serving as an appetizer as you can really transform them to fit any season or occasion.
I played around with a few different applications for the onions, but finally decided that making an onion jam would highlight this great ingredient best. Typically, onion jam is made with dark balsamic vinegar, but in order to keep my jam light tasting, I decided to use white balsamic instead. That, along with light brown sugar and white wine, made for a great start. Some seasonings, fresh thyme and just a bit of apricot jam added the finishing touch. The onion jam turned out beautiful, with just the right amount of sweet to tart ratio. 
After taste testing several bruschetta combinations (I know, being a food blogger is rough), I decided to create a bruschetta that would satisfy all of my senses. I had in my mind that the bruschetta should be sweet, but also creamy, crunchy and salty. I found the latter three components by simply putting the onion jam together with crunchy, toasted baguette slices, creamy and slightly tart goat cheese and last but not least, salty slices of prosciutto. Topped with the spring onion jam, this appetizer turned out even better than I had dreamed.



This is really an amazing appetizer and I'm incredibly proud of this creation. I've served this already several times to friends and the reaction is always overwhelmingly positive. On a side note, while the jam is spectacular in the showcased combination, it is also fantastic in many other applications. Think of it as a tasty condiment which can perk up a vast array of dishes.

If at this point my recipe has made your mouth water, go ahead, make the spring onion jam bruschetta, blog about them and submit your link to Kitchen Play. By doing so, you will have a chance to win $100.You have until April 30th, 2011 to enter, so don't wait, I know all of you could use a little extra money with vacation time approaching!



Spring Onion Jam Bruschetta
A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original

Ingredients:
18 1/2 -inch thick diagonally cut baguette slices
Olive Oil
18 tablespoons soft goat cheese
9 thin prosciutto slices, cut in half crosswise
 Spring Onion Jam (recipe to follow)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush top of each with olive oil and roast bread until top is golden 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool toasts on sheet.

Spread 1 tablespoon goat cheese on each cooled toast. Arrange prosciutto halves on top of the goat cheese and top each toast with spring onion jam. Arrange on platter and serve.



Spring Onion Jam 
A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large spring onions (I used Walla Walla Onions), sliced thinly
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup white wine (Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio works well)
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons apricot jam
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
Kosher Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:
Melt butter and oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add the sugar, wine, balsamic vinegar, apricot jam, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the liquid thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 35 minutes.
Transfer the onion jam to a bowl and let cool. Serve at room temperature.



44 comments:

  1. I love those bruschettas! The onion jam sounds so great!

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  2. Wow this looks like a fabulous nibble. I have some unnatural love for sweet onions and this jam would so hit the spot.

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  3. Oh my gosh, you're making my belly grumble. That looks amazing.

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  4. Prima! Another appetizer idea. Ich hab naemlich eine grosse Party ins Haus stehen.

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  5. Your bruschetta looks wonderful! Walla Walla onions are fantastic.

    -Brenda

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  6. Lovely bruschetta. Walla Walla onions and goat cheese. Delicious!

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  7. This looks simply divine. Sweet onions and goat cheese mmmm two of my favorites!

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  8. I've never heard of a progressive party. How fun!

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  9. Susi, this looks great! Smeared on bruschetta or as a perfect condiment to many things! I'm going to try this sometime this week and report back.

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  10. These look so good, I love the concept. Perfect for Kitchen Play!

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  11. What a great use of sweet onions! I love the idea of a Progressive Party.

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  12. these bruschetta are gorgeous, and look so light and delicious. Perfect for a Spring party or Bunco, which I'm having in a couple of weeks!

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  13. That jam looks fabulous. And the bruschetta look delicious - great photos!

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  14. Mmm... bread + goat cheese + jam or compote of choice is an app that goes straight to my heart!

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  15. This looks incredible Susi! The onion jam sounds sooo sooo good. I can't wait to make it! :)

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  16. Susi, this is such an elegant and easy appetizer! I love bruschetta and your homemade onion jam just sounds too good to be true! Thanks for sharing. :)

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  17. Susi-I cook just about everything with sweet onions, because it caramalizes so beutifully, and doesn't sting your eyes when you slice, and dice it.
    Your bruschetta is GORGEOUS...adding this to my bruschetta recipes.
    Thanks for sharing!
    xoxo

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  18. Wow, lovely appetizers these bruschettas...and what a great idea of onion jam...have to try this one :-) Have a great week Susi!

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  19. haven't had these flavours together looks delicious reminded me of a onion sambal we make that is sweet and spicy
    regards
    torviewtoronto

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  20. This looks incredibly delicious. I like the progressive party idea :)

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  21. I always thought green onions were spring onions. The onions look so good in the photos! I've never had goat cheese, but I'm willing to try this recipe.

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  22. I need this and I need it now!!! Look so tasty and perfect for anytime:) Love your photos as always!!!

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  23. Your brain is awesome. I'm so making this. Well done, my dear. Well done!

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  24. Beautiful photos, and I am sure they are delicious as well! Love the color the toppings give to the bruschetta, would be perfect for a spring party!

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  25. I love a good onion jam / relish. To us though, spring onions are what you call scallions I think. I love those too !

    The bruschetta looks fab :-) Pass some thins way please ...

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  26. What a great use of those onions! I'm so excited to be growing onions in my garden this year, and I'll be keeping this in mind for when it's time to harvest them!

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  27. Susi, these really look wonderful. It is good to know there are still progressive parties being held. They were common years ago but it's bee four decades since I attended one. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  28. I love onions in just about everything and I think every way imaginable, but never thought of it working as a jam. This came out absolutely mouth watering to look at and I NEED to make some as soon as I get some onions :D

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  29. Oh! This look divine! I've bookmarked this to try soon! Perfect for a spring appy!

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  30. Oh, my, does that look good! Beautiful photos...I'd love to have a few of these on my plate right now!

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  31. Hi Susi: Wow! Your images just jump off the screen and make me hungry all over again. Delicious and gorgeous at the same time, this onion jam on bruschetta. The jam would be fantastic on a burger or other meat-type sandwich. Yum!

    Thank you for sharing some tidbits about onions. I did not know that Spring onions=sweet onions!

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  32. The onion jam sounds incredibly good Susi! I bet it would be good on so many things! I love the all the textures and flavors you included on the bruschetta - delicious!

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  33. As a Southerner, I have been in love with seasonal Vidalia onions as long as I can remember. I am always looking for another way to use them. I think I would serve your jam one of those evenings I decide to make breakfast for supper.

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  34. These would make perfect appetizers- that jam sounds so good! :)

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  35. You should be proud. This looks and sounds spectacular. Don't you just love onions? I could eat them every day (although my breath would suffer?) Thank you for sharing, sweet friend. Your blog is a burst of brightness in a dark time. I hope you have a lovely and joy-filled Wednesday. You deserve it!

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  36. Oh man oh man oh man those look good! And I was JUST talking about how one of the first things I made for my parents that wasn't dessert based was bruschetta. Not like yours though. Wow!

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  37. Looks really delicious! I love the combination of onions, goat cheese and prosciutto.

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  38. They look really good, and nice use of the onions!

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  39. This is a "holy crap" kind of recipe. I mean it looks THAT good. What a fantastic combination of flavors you put together. I can not wait to try it. Thanks for being willing to share you creation!

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