For most of my life, I wouldn’t let onions pass my lips. No, no, never, never, uuh uhh. Gross. But as my palate has changed over time (especially as I get older!) I’ve learned to embrace, albeit at arm’s length, the onion. I still won’t eat it raw, and if it’s in salad or a sandwich I picked it out. Classy, I know. But – if they are cooked down, and add flavor, then I’m all for them and they are the basis for a lot of my recipes.

When a caterer taught me how to make caramelized onions a few years ago – woah mama. This way of cooking them enhanced their sweetness, emboldened their flavor and propelled ordinary dishes into extraordinary. They are crazy good and add so much to simple dishes like roast chicken, stuffed shells and even crostini appetizers. Delish.

Recipe

• 2 large onions diced
• 1 – 2 tbsp butter
• pinch of sugar

• 

• 

Using a heavy bottomed skillet, melt the butter until bubbling. Add in the diced onions and turn heat to medium / low. Sweat onions for 10 minutes until they are translucent and just beginning to turn golden. Lower the heat and stir every 5 minutes for 1 hour. Halfway through cooking, you can add a pinch of sugar to speed up the process. Be careful not the burn the onions otherwise they will be bitter. If you need to deglaze the pan, add a small amount of water or wine and swirl around until evaporated.

Let cool and use wherever onions are needed.

Bon Appetit!