Saturday, September 20, 2008

Bourbon+Onion+Bacon+Thyme+Time




Some time, maybe this winter, I will pen a Shakespearean Sonnet professing my love for Kentucky Brown Water. Yes, winter seems like a more appropriate time for such heavy, syrupy writing.

Today I just wanted to drop a quick recipe that riffs off the compote used at Father's Office in Santa Monica. A compote that tops the best $12 burger I have ever had. It is spectacular. Well worth the near UFC League moves one has to do to get to the bar and order your food and fine Belgian Beer.

The key to such a deep flavor for the burger no doubt lies in the well carmelized onion compote that they dish on each dry-aged patty of gamey deliciousness. I don't know if they had thyme or Bourbon in their compote but I was sure they had bacon and onions. I used thyme because my above featured potager is bursting with the stuff. It seems to thrive in the northern shade the pear tomato plant casts.

4 Sweet Onions
1/2 Pound Bacon
1/4 cup or a bit less Bourbon(and not that shoddy imitator Jack Daniels)
Handfuls of thyme

In a large saute pan put a tablespoon of olive oil. Heat it up.
Add in thinly sliced onions. I find a mandolin invaluable for blazing through large quantities of onion chopping.
Brown over low heat for about a half-hour. Salt to taste here.
Cook bacon in your preferred method and set aside.
Add the thyme into the onions and finish browning. Building up a nice fond on the pan. This should take a total of about 90 minutes.
Turn heat up from low to medium high and deglaze with the bourbon. Cook off all the alcohol.
Add in chopped bacon.

That's it. Done. Use on burgers. Chicken. Pork. Grilled veggies. Really anything.

1 comment:

993C4S said...

Porsches, Food and Bourbon. Start throwing in some posts about complicated watches and I won't have to go anywhere else. :-)

I'm off to a party next week at the local Porsche Design Store hosted by Knob Creek!! Should be an interesting event. Let's just say I'll be leaving the Porsche at home and the driving to a hired professional...