Recipe: Strawberry shortcake with candied-onion jam

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Candied-Onion Jam:

Makes about 2/3 cup

2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil

2 medium to large sweet onions (Vidalia, Maui, Walla-Walla, etc.) cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup red wine

1/2 cup sugar, or more to taste

Shortcake:

2 cups cake flour (not self-rising) measured by spooning into measuring cup and leveling off

1/4 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 generous teaspoon grated lemon zest

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

3 large eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons milk

Strawberries:

2 pints ripe strawberries, hulled and halved

3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste

Pinch salt

Also:

1 ½ cups cold heavy cream, whipped with 3 tablespoons sugar

1. To make the Candied-Onion Jam: In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions and salt. Stir a few times, lower heat to medium-low, cover the skillet and cook until the onions are soft and almost melting (15 to 20 minutes).

2. Uncover the pan, turn heat up to medium-high again and saute until the onions start to color. Blend in the wine and stir until it's boiled off. Now stir in the sugar and cook, stirring with a wood spatula until the onions are thick and caramelized. Take care not to let them burn. Turn the jam into a bowl and cool. Serve at room temperature.

3. Making the shortcake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a large baking sheet. Set a rack in the center of the oven. Put all the dry ingredients (including the lemon zest) in a big bowl. Blend them with your hands or with a fork. Rub the chunks of butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

4. Make a well in the middle, add the beaten eggs and milk and stir them together with a fork. Then gradually work in the dry ingredients, using a tossing motion rather than a stirring one. Thoroughly moisten the dough, but do not beat it. The dough should be lumpy, sticky and moist.

5. Flour a work area and turn the dough onto it. With floured hands, gently pat and nudge the dough into a long rectangle about 1 inch thick. Use spatulas to place it on the baking sheet.

6. Bake 25 minutes. Lower heat to 250 and bake another 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool. Once cool, assemble the shortcake, or wrap the cake well and hold up to one day at room temperature, or freeze.

7. Assemble the shortcake by slicing the cake in half diagonally. Spread the onion jam onto one piece. Top with half the berries and half the whipped cream.

8. Place the other cake half on top of the first, gently pressing down to firm up the cake. Top it with the rest of the berries and dollops of the remaining cream. Serve fresh.

From Lynne Rossetto Kasper