Years ago, back when we worked at Clio, we did a dinner with Madhur Jaffrey. It was my first experience cooking Indian food and it was a revelation. I loved the silken feel of the cooked vegetables on my palate, the intensely aromatic spices and the way textures and flavors were blended together into a harmonious whole. One of the techniques that stayed with me through the years was her method of pureeing an onion with fresh ginger and jalapeno in the blender to make a puree. Although I can't remember the the exact dish we used it for, I think it was spinach, I still use her blender method on a regular basis. These days I use it mostly for marinades. I always start with an onion and then add spices, seasonings and aromatics according to the dish. The marinade clings to whatever it is being used to season and adds great flavor to the finished dish. The beauty of the onion is that it's like that little black dress, it goes with anything and often amplifies the positive attributes of its accessories.
Years Past:
