This quick and easy-to-do homemade Red Onion Marmalade has a dual purpose: it’s a Christmas giveaway; second, it’s a side dish for roast turkey or lechon.

The sweet-tangy flavor of the cranberries and the crunchiness of the green apple help remove the cloying taste of any oily/greasy dishes during the holiday meal.

The refreshing marmalade can be eaten as it is, but it’s even better when served with biscuits or crisp veggies.

The preserve calls for Granny Smith apple,  a crisp, tart green apple that’s on the sour side, but is available all year round in most supermarkets. The apple is julienned, and flavored with sweet red wine.

“For variation, you can replace cranberries with dried mangoes for a change in flavor,” says chef Dorothy MJ Ferreria. “If you can’t find a good sweet red wine, cherry brandy works well, too.”

Once cooked, you can serve the marmalade right away or transfer into a mason jar. Just keep it chilled. It can last for two weeks, since it has no preservatives.

“If you plan to make it as a business, you only spend P130 for the whole recipe,” says Ferreria, who holds private cooking, baking and cake decorating tutorials and accepts food orders (tel.  9618682). “It can yield two to three jars, depending on how big your container is.”

Red Onion Marmalade

with Apples and Cranberries

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 bay leaf

2 c sliced red onions

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced into strips

¼ c chopped dried cranberries

1/3 c white sugar

½ c sweet red wine