SUMMER TO AUTUMN // Recipe for four
Set milks, onion caramel, oregano and barley
The time to make this is when the onions are sweet and full of juices, which for us is January to May for most varieties in Australia. This dish is so full of natural sugars that it’s almost a dessert.
SET MILKS
100 ml (3½ fl oz) full-cream sheep’s milk
100 ml (3½ fl oz) full-cream cow’s milk
100 ml (3½ fl oz) full-cream goat’s milk
8 g (¼ oz) rennet
5 g (1/8 oz) salt
Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Put all the milk in a saucepan and heat to 30°C (86°F). Gently stir in the rennet and salt. Pour into four 100 ml (3½ fl oz) plastic dariole moulds, filling them three-quarters full. Cook in a 36°C (97°F) water bath in the oven for 4 hours (use a temperature probe to ensure the temperature stays constant). Cool in the moulds to room temperature, then chill in the fridge (still in the moulds).
Line a perforated tray with a clean cloth and sit it on another tray. Turn out the chilled milks onto the cloth. Keep the whey for use in another recipe, such as the spent vegetables.
ONION CARAMEL
6 brown onions, peeled and halved
100 g (3½ oz) cane sugar
Put the onions and sugar in a vacuum bag and add 150 ml (5 fl oz) water. Seal and cook in a 78°C (172°F) water bath for 5 hours. Strain the liquid into a saucepan over medium heat and cook slowly until reduced by half.
ONION SHELLS
6 baby onions, unpeeled
2 teaspoons linseed (flaxseed) oil
30 ml (1 fl oz) onion caramel (above)
Cut the unpeeled onions in half. Blacken the onion halves in a hot pan or on a chargrill plate, and then leave in a sealed container until soft.
Rub off the blackened charrings and carefully separate the onion shells. Dress with linseed oil and the onion caramel.
BARLEY COOKED IN ONION CARAMEL
200 g (7 oz) organic barley
400 ml (14 fl oz) grape seed oil
1 tablespoon onion caramel (left)
10 g (¼ oz) salt
Bring 700 ml (24 fl oz) water to the boil and add the barley. Cook for 60–80 minutes until the barley is soft and beginning to crack, then drain and rinse under running water. Preheat the oven to 80°C (170°F). Put the barley on a baking tray and dry in the oven for 2 hours.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, fry the barley in two batches until golden and then drain well. When ready to serve, put the barley with the onion caramel and salt in a large saucepan over gentle heat to just bind.