Onion Demi-Glace

Yield:  1 quart

Ingredients

• 1 cup of diced porcini or shitake mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cups of cold water
• 1 piece of dark toasted white bread
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil
• 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled and cut in half
• 1 bottle of red Bordeaux wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 tablespoons of turbinado sugar
• ¼ cup sherry vinegar
• 1 head of garlic, spilt in half
• 3 coriander seeds
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 3 black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons of dark soy

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 F
2. In a small pot, melt butter and sweat mushroom stems for 2 minutes.  Add 2 cups of cold water and simmer for 1/2 hour.
3. Add the toasted bread and remove the pan from the heat.  Let cool for 20 minutes.  Strain, season with salt and pepper and set this aside.
4. Heat the canola oil in a medium non-reactive, oven proof saucepan.  Place the onion pieces flat side down and cook over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes.  Flip the onions half way through to get a nice caramelized colour on both sides of the onion.
5. Add sugar and garlic and continue to cook until a light caramel forms.  Add the sherry vinegar.  Deglaze and reduce by half.
6. Add the coriander, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and wine and bring to a low simmer.    Cook for approximately 25 minutes or until it has reduced by half.
7. Add half of the mushroom stock and cover the saucepan in foil.  Transfer the saucepan to the oven to cook for another 95 minutes in the oven.
8. Strain the now cooked sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan.  Press on the solids to release all of the flavour.  Place the sauce over medium low heat and simmer.  Ad the dark soy sauce and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
9. Use hot or cover and chill. It will keep for 4 days.