PORK MEDAILLONS WITH ONION MARMALADE Cooking the onions in butter and sugar gives and uncommonly beautiful sheen to this rich, tangy marmalade. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 medium white onions, finely chopped 2/3 cup sugar 3/4 cup plus 1/3 cup dry red wine 3/4 cup raspberry vinegar Salt Eight 4-ounce pork loin medaillons Freshly ground pepper 1 teaspoon minced rosemary 8 very thin slices of pancetta (2 ounces) 2 tablespoons pure olive oil 8 garlic cloves 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 cups beef stock or canned low-sodium broth

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions and sugar, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of the wine and the raspberry vinegar and boil until the liquid is syrupy, about 8 minutes. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, season the pork medaillons with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the rosemary. Top each medaillon with a slice of pancetta and, using kitchen string, tip up like a package. Heat the olive oil with the garlic in a large skillet. Add the pork medaillons, pancetta side down, and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate, turn the medaillons and cook until just cooked through and browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the medaillons to a warmed platter and cover loosely with foil. Discard the garlic.

Add the remaining 1/3 cup of red wine and the balsamic vinegar to the skillet and boil over moderate heat, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in any accumulated juices from the pork and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the string, set the pork medaillons on plates and spoon the onion marmalade alongside. Pour the sauce over the medaillons and serve.

8 servings.

MAKE AHEAD: The onion marmalade can be refrigerated for 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

[Food & Wine, May 2001]