Sweet Onion Marmalade

     I started to develop this recipe due to a Taco Throwdown that we're having at work this weekend.  The build of the street taco is:
                                               Corn Tortilla
                                               Sweet Onion Marmalade
                                               Habanero & Papaya Slaw
                                               Pepper Crusted Smoked Pork Belly

     We tried this recipe a few weeks ago and give it a trial run to see how well it would sell, crazy popular.  We made them small using a 3" tortilla so they were easier to eat.  Also, the Pork Belly is somewhat fatty so there's only so much that you would want to eat at one time.  What I'm focusing on for this entry is the Marmalade.  Marmalade is typically a word used when fruit is boiled with sugar and water but that's the great thing about food, so many items are interchangeable.
     The recipe is very simple.  I know that I wanted to make a nice, rich onion base for this taco and marmalade was the first thing that came to mind.  I've made a red onion marmalade before, just different ingredients so I figured it would be easy enough.  As you can see below, I started with basic yellow onions and caramelized them in their own moisture.  Nice and slow on moderate heat so you can achieve a balanced caramelization with no burnt pieces.
     Next, I deglazed the pan with a mixture of red wine and balsamic vinegar to gather any flavors that may have gathered on the bottom of the pan.  As soon as the liquid is mixed in, add brown sugar, sugar, and salt.  Looking at the third picture, the mixture kind of looks like a pot of worms but believe me, it gets a lot better.  From this point, I turn the heat to medium low and just let the mixture cook until it thickens and resembles marmalade, or jam for the individuals who've never worked with marmalade.  A mistake commonly made when cooking with balsamic vinegar is that if you cook on too high of a heat during reduction, there's a good chance that the vinegar will scorch.  Also, when you're trying to reduce any liquid, it's always good to not boil the mixture because it's believed that you'll lose a lot of flavor.
     The mixture looks very rich and thick as if it were made with beef stock or something similar and that's how it should look.  The finished product has a bold onion flavor with a slight tang from the vinegar which will help balance out the sweetness.  You have to keep the pairings in mind though.  Eating onion marmalade by itself will not be very pleasing, but with the slaw and pork belly, it's one great combination.