The star of this show is the onion and ginger marmalade — and it earns that billing. Sweet, deeply savoury, with a warmth from fresh ginger that builds slowly, it keeps for a few weeks in the fridge in an airtight jar and improves everything it sits alongside. Cheese boards, glazed roasts, cold cuts — but best of all, spooned generously over hot bean cakes on a warm August evening at Casa Adora.

The bean cakes themselves are flexible. Kidney beans and pardina lentils form the base, but any combination of cooked pulses works. What matters is the seasoning — plenty of flat-leaf parsley, black pepper, and a good hit of chilli and garlic.

Homemade onion and ginger marmalade — sweet, savoury, and worth every minute of the simmer

How to Make Onion and Ginger Marmalade

Start the marmalade well ahead — it needs an hour and a half on a low simmer and rewards patience. Slice two medium onions and soften them in a generous glug of olive oil with three sprigs of rosemary until the edges begin to brown. Add a knob of freshly grated ginger, 225ml dry white wine, three tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and two tablespoons of soft dark brown sugar. Season well, bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for around 90 minutes until the liquid has almost entirely disappeared. Remove the rosemary, pour into a bowl, and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature alongside hot bean cakes.

How to Make the Bean Cakes

Drain and roughly mash a tin of kidney beans, leaving some texture. Add a handful of cooked pardina lentils, a sautéed red onion, a grated carrot, half a red pepper finely chopped, one red chilli, two cloves of garlic, and a generous handful of flat-leaf parsley. Season well with black pepper and salt. Shape into patties — this quantity makes three or four depending on size — and pan-fry in olive oil over a medium heat for three to four minutes each side until golden and crisp on the outside.

Serve on a bed of lamb's lettuce or watercress, with the onion and ginger marmalade spooned over the top. Rosa's tomatoes on the side if you have them.

INGREDIENTS — Onion and Ginger Marmalade

• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1 knob fresh ginger, grated
• A large glug of extra virgin olive oil
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 225ml dry white wine
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
• Salt & black pepper

INGREDIENTS — Bean Cakes

• 1 tin kidney beans, drained
• A handful cooked pardina lentils
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped and sautéed
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• ½ red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt & black pepper
• Olive oil for frying

To serve: lamb's lettuce or watercress, fresh tomatoes

METHOD — Marmalade

1. Soften the sliced onions in olive oil with the rosemary sprigs until the edges begin to brown.
2. Add the grated ginger, white wine, white wine vinegar, and sugar. Season well.
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 90 minutes until the liquid has almost disappeared.
4. Remove the rosemary and pour into a bowl to cool. Serve at room temperature.

METHOD — Bean Cakes

1. Roughly mash the kidney beans, leaving some texture.
2. Combine with the lentils, sautéed onion, carrot, red pepper, chilli, garlic, and parsley. Season well.
3. Shape into three or four patties.
4. Pan-fry in olive oil over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes each side until golden and crisp.

FOOTNOTE This recipe is part of my Spice Blends & Condiments collection — a growing collection of homemade condiments and spice blends. Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef