Palmabella's Passions

So far, the MOST requested recipe is for the Cippolini onion dish:

I doubled this:
3 pounds cipolline onions, stem and root ends trimmed
1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup Cognac
1 cup dried apricots
40 cooked and peeled unsweetened chestnuts (I used a jar from William-Sonoma,
but Trader Joes has them frozen during the holidays)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the onions and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain in a colander under cold running water. Slip off the papery skins and pat the onions dry.

In a large, deep skillet, combine the chicken stock with butter, vinegar and sugar. Cover and bring to a boil. Add the onions, cover and cook over moderately low heat until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are covered with a deep-golden caramel, about 30 minutes longer; add a few tablespoons of water as the liquid evaporates.

Add the Cognac, prunes and chestnuts to the onions and cook just until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet and scrape up any caramel stuck to the bottom and sides. Pour the sauce over the onions, and serve.

*I made this dish two days beore the party, adding apricots and chestnuts to the carmelized onions. The night of the party, I added the cognac, and reheated the dish for 20 minutes.

Fig-Port Reduction Sauce (William-Sonoma) I doubled this.

20 dried mission figs, sliced in quarters with stems cut off
Soak in 1 c. port for an hour, reserve liquid

Use drippings from pork in a sauté pan with:
reserved port from figs.

Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat to medium and add:
2 T. veal demi-glace
figs
¾ c. chicken stock
2 tsp. balsamic fig vinegar (or regular balsamic vinegar and some fig syrup)
¼ c. honey

Simmer 30 minutes until thicker and reduced by half Whisk in butter, one T. at a time.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Brie with Fig Jam:

This is a no-brainer appetizer. Fill a baking dish with brie with the top rind cut off.
Spread fig jam on top. Bake at 350 until melted (about 20 min.) OR microwave for 3-4 min.