Onion Chutney

Our challenge was to make the red onion, a humble product, the star. So we stew it gently and lightly with vinegar, sugar and lemon to sweeten its flavour, then add garlic and bay leaf to bring out its character, mustard seeds to add a crunchy texture and chilli for a slight kick. All of this allowed us to create a bittersweet jam of humble origins that goes well with, and elevates the flavour and appearance of, other farm products.

Added, for example, to a platter of aged cheeses or cheeses with a strong flavour, it accompanies them without overpowering them, adding a softness that makes each bite easier. It can also be added to a cured meat platter, a warm schiacciata or toasted bread with cured meats, where its sweetness and delicate texture contrast with the saltiness and perhaps the hardness of the more aged ones. Perfect also with our sbriciolona: the wild fennel blends perfectly with the aromas and flavours of the chutney, enhancing them, while the ground mixture of the cured meat adds a little saltiness for a bittersweet note and, not least, the fat cleanses the palate of the chilli.

It can also be served alongside hot cooked foods, for example as a sauce on the bollito misto (mixed boiled meats) trolley or on roasts and porchetta, and even added to your burgers (whether classic, smash or vegetable).