Onion And Pepper Confit Recipes

Steps:

• Warm the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat.
• Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic.
• Sauté until they are soft and golden, about 10 minutes.
• Cover and reduce the heat to medium.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 45 minutes.
• Drain and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Steps:

• Cut onions in half from top to bottom (not crosswise). With a paring knife, peel each onion half. Lay each onion half flat side down. Holding the knife at a slight angle, cut away and discard the hard root end. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons.
• Put a large heavy-bottomed pot, preferably enameled cast iron, over medium-high heat. Melt butter, then add all the sliced onions and stir to coat. Sprinkle with sugar and season generously with salt and pepper. Continue stirring until onions begin to wilt and soften, without browning, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add bay leaves, thyme, cayenne, vinegar and wine. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onion mixture is quite soft and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme. Serve warm.

Steps:

• For the onion confit: Heat a large enameled cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add the butter; when it begins to foam, add the red onions, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves and sugar, and sprinkle liberally with salt. When the onions begin to caramelize, add the red wine and balsamic vinegar and reduce to dry. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 1 cup of the beef stock; cook until reduced to a glaze. Repeat until all the beef stock has been used. Turn off the heat and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
• For the rib-eye: Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat; add the oil. Pat the steak dry with paper towels, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. When the oil is just below smoking, place the steak into the pan. Once a nice sear has developed, flip the steak and add the butter, thyme and garlic. If the garlic or steak begins to burn, reduce the heat. Cook, basting the steak with the bubbling butter, until an internal temperature of 125 degrees F has been reached for medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 7 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with the French onion confit.
• Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with room temperature water and season liberally with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender. Drain the potatoes, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water for thinning out if needed.
• Pass the potatoes through a food mill into a large bowl. Add the butter and heavy cream, and fold together with a spatula until combined. Fold in the shredded cheese. If the potatoes get too thick, thin them out with a little of the cooking water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with chives and a drizzle of olive oil.

Steps:

• To prepare the filets:
• In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it brown the filets mignons, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper, for 2 minutes on each side. Sauté the fillets mignons, turning them on both sides and the edges, for 4 to 6 minutes more for medium-rare meat, transfer them to a cutting board, and let them stand, covered loosely with foil, while making the sauce.
• In the fat remaining in the skillet cook the shallot over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the Port and the red wine, and boil the mixture until it is reduced by two thirds. Add the broth, boil the mixture until it is reduced by half, and strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Whisk in the mustard, bring the mixture to a boil, and add the beurre manié, a little at a time, whisking until the sauce is smooth. Simmer the sauce, whisking occasionally, for 2 minutes, whisk in any juices that have accumulated on the cutting board, and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
• Cut the filets mignons into 1/4-inch-thick slices, divide the slices among 4 plates, and spoon the sauce over them. Garnish the fillets mignons with the parsley and serve them with the red onion confit.
• To prepare confit:
• In a heavy skillet cook the garlic and the shallot with the thyme and salt and pepper to taste in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is softened. Add the red onion and cook the mixture, stirring for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the onion is very soft. Add the Port, the red wine, the sugar, and the vinegar and simmer the mixture, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. The confit may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated. Makes about 1 cup.

Steps:

• Heat 3/4 cup oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté 3 minutes. Add all bell peppers, garlic, thyme, and sugar; sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until vegetables are very soft, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes longer. Drain confit and cool; discard cooking oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Puree 1/2 cup bell pepper mixture, lemon juice, and 5 tablespoons olive oil in blender until smooth. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Bell pepper confit and sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Coat in flour; shake off excess. Sauté chicken in skillet until golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer skillet to oven and bake chicken until cooked through, turning once, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rewarm bell pepper confit over medium heat. Stir sauce over low heat just until heated through. Spoon bell pepper confit onto 4 plates.
• Slice chicken diagonally and place atop bell peppers. Drizzle sauce around chicken and serve.

Steps:

• Position an oven rack 4 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler. To make the toasts, arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush on one side with some of the olive oil. Broil until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the toasts and broil the other side. Remove the toasts from the oven and while warm, rub one side of each toast with the cut surfaces of the garlic clove. Transfer to a rack to cool.
• To make the confit, heat the butter and remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is reduced and the onions are a deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Add the thyme; taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
• To serve, place the reserved toasts on a large serving platter and top each piece with a spoonful of confit. Garnish each with a sprig of thyme.
• making ahead
• The toasts can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container. The confit can also be made ahead and will actually improve as the flavors marry. Refrigerate the confit in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• storing onions
• Onions need circulating air to stay fresh. Vidalia onions are particularly tricky due to their high sugar content. One of the best ways to store Vidalia onions is in the cut-off legs of pantyhose: drop an onion down the leg, tie a knot, and repeat. Hang the onion-filled hose from a hook in a cool, dry place. They will keep for months. Alternatively, wrap them separately in paper towels and refrigerate.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325° F. On a large baking sheet arrange bread slices in one layer and lightly brush both sides of each slice with about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Toast slices in middle of oven 15 minutes and turn over. Toast an additional 15 minutes, or until golden. Transfer toasts to a rack and rub one side of each toast with cut side of halved garlic. Let cool. Toasts may be made 2 days ahead and kept in a sealable plastic bag at room temperature.
• Heat the butter and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Add red wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine is reduced and onions are deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Add thyme; taste and adjust for seasoning. Transfer onions to a bowl and serve immediately with toasts.

Steps:

• Blanch onions in a large saucepan of boiling water 3 minutes, then drain and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water. Drain onions and peel.
• Cook chestnuts in 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add broth and celery and cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes.
• While chestnuts are cooking, heat remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallots and peeled onions with thyme and salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until onions are tender and golden brown in patches. Add wine and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
• Gently stir onion mixture into chestnut mixture and season with salt and pepper.