We arrived back from the farm last night with a bucket of onions, three very dirty dogs and some milk which was on the turn. The cupboard in Sydney was well and truly bare, so come 5.00pm it was hard to find any inspiration on what to cook let alone muster the enthusiasm to stand over the stove. After ratting around in the pantry and freezer I found some slightly squished hamburger mince, a few wilted snow peas, some rubbery old potatoes, three eggs, one carrot and a jar of fig jam from my local providore. Sigh, what to do?
Inexplicably, at that very moment, my son announced that he wanted to make dinner. After checking his temperature, and ascertaining that he was, indeed, in fine health, this is what he decided upon.
Hamburgers sitting on top of raw grated carrot and sliced snow peas, mashed potatoes on the side, all covered in onion gravy. Super thinking my son! He made it with little interference from me. Here’s his clever twist on a simple and delicious onion gravy. I guarantee your kids will love it and might even want to have a go at making it themselves…
Angus' Onion and Jam Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 large red onions
- 2 large white onions
- 1/2 cup of vegetable stock
- 1/2 jar of fig jam (apricot jam would be just as delicious)
- Good glug of EVOO
- S&P to taste
Instructions
- Peel and cut the onions in half, then slice as finely as your child’s proficiency will allow.
- Put the oil in a heavy based pan, add the onions and swirl to coat.
- Cook on a medium heat until just softened then add a good pinch of pepper and salt, the stock and the jam.
- Turn down to simmer, stirring occasionally. The mixture will eventually reduce to a gloopy, sweet mass of goodness.
- Serve warm alongside any kind of cooked red meat.
Or let it cool and serve with some stinky blue cheese. Or create a little nest with some puff pastry, pile on the oniony goodness sprinkle with feta and sliced black olives and bake for 10-15 minutes until pasty is golden. Or layer under your potato topping if making Shepherds Pie for a surprise hit of sweetness…..
How do you inspire your kids to get into the kitchen? Does bribery work? Or did they form an early love of creating with food? Do they actually have any clue where the kitchen is?
I’d love to hear your experiences on encouraging kids to get active in the kitchen.
Until next time.
I think he is very clever