Test Kitchen: Pinot Jam

Today in the test kitchen we've got a controversial idea sourced from Le Meritage in New Orleans: a steak topping.

Steak is such a tricky beast. Even once you've nailed down the perfect method (for me, with the premium cuts, that involves searing in my cast-iron before finishing off in the oven), it's difficult to stray from the simplicity. A great steak dinner gives much credit to the meat itself. Why ruin it with a heavy sauce or excessive seasoning? It's like watching Casablanca in IMAX 3D.

Or is it? I'm of the mindset that a sauce or garnish—with a confident but not overpowering flavor—can work wonderfully as an accessory. Not a strict necessity...just a new flavor to change up an expected taste.

And here we come to pinot jam. More of a compote than a jam, this topping consists of red onions caramelized, then cooked down further with red wine, brown sugar, bay leaf, cracked black pepper, and a pinch of cloves. The cloves are key, elevating the familiarity of red onion to a forkful more exotic, more heady than you could imagine.

The silky, darkly spiced onions slid over the surface of my steak as I scooped each bite into my mouth. It became a game, to ensure each bite of steak had the perfect balance of the plump, deep purple onions. I think that brand of calculation points toward an excellent addition to a meal, one that you want to make the most of.

Just parcel it out carefully.

You can check out my side dish (creamy mashed potatoes with a turnip puree) at My Weekend's Cooked. And I've got my adaptation of Le Meritage's recipe below (in which only the portions are changed.)

Pinot Jam from Le Meritage

Yield: 1—2 cups.

Chef's note: This is a savory jam with a slight sweetness that's a perfect accompaniment to filet mignon, other steaks and chops, lamb and venison.

Ingredients:

3 large red onions, cut into thin strips

1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black peppercorns

Pinch of cloves

Pinch brown sugar

1 bay leaf

½ bottle pinot noir

Method:

Caramelize onions in olive oil until brown. Add remaining ingredients.  Reduce until thick and add brown sugar to taste.