Starting from:

4 large onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 cups red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sherry vinegar

(http://groups.google.co.za/group/rec...16767f3 aa991,
Alice L. Waters, /Chez Panisse Vegetables/), how would one substitute to
convert this receipt to one for "Port and Onion Confit"
(http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=31701)?


TIA

--

Nat

"If she don't work out for a life's companion we can always eat her or
something."
--Ken Kesey, /Sailor Song/

Father Ignatius wrote:

Starting from:

4 large onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 cups red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sherry vinegar

(http://groups.google.co.za/group/rec...frm/thread/e78
103e7c43aa80/a3e116767f3aa991?q=confit+onion&rnum=1#a3e116767f3 aa991,
Alice L. Waters, /Chez Panisse Vegetables/), how would one substitute to
convert this receipt to one for "Port and Onion Confit"
(http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=31701)?

I'd just replace red wine with the same amount of port.

Victor

Father Ignatius wrote:
Starting from:

4 large onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 cups red wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sherry vinegar

Alice L. Waters, /Chez Panisse Vegetables/), how would one substitute to
convert this receipt to one for "Port and Onion Confit"

A little about process would be helpful. Is the sugar there for flavor
balance or to help caramelize the onions? If the former, I'd reduce or
eliminate it on the grounds that port is sweeter than red wine. If the
latter, I guess I'd leave it. How much reduction is going to occur
with that 2 cups wine? That is, how concentrated is it going to get?
Given the more intense nature of the port I'd be inclined to start with
less and reduce it less, thereby arriving at about the same consistency
and concentration of flavors.

But wotthehell, I'm just guessing. What I usually do is make the
original recipe as directed once as a baseline. Then when I make
substitutions I have something already in mind to guide me. -aem