Carmelized Onions
Caramelized onions are one of those magical, powerhouse ingredients that can amp up the flavor in almost anything – dips, pastas, soups, burgers, in a frittata, on pizza, you name it. They’re rich, silky smooth, and sweet. Luckily, caramelized onions are easy to make, but making them does take time. Don’t try to rush the process on a weeknight, when you’re looking for a quick, pantry-friendly topping for a pizza or veggie burger.
I recommend using a cast-iron skillet. Pan size also matters. It should be large and wide in order to allow moisture to evaporate as the onions cook. For 4 onions, you’ll need a 12-inch or larger skillet. For 3 onions, a 10-inch skillet works well.
For most of the cooking process, the heat should be low or medium-low to prevent the onions from burning before they have a chance to soften and caramelize. However, once they’re brown and tender, turn the heat up to medium, stirring constantly and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, to get a little extra caramelization before taking them off the heat.
Carmelized Onions
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, or until starting to soften.
Add the salt, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 50 to 80 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until the onions are very soft, golden brown, and caramelized. The timing will depend on the size of your onions and the heat of your stove.
at any point the onions start to stick to the bottom of the pan, reduce the heat to low. If the onions aren’t deeply brown after 50 minutes and you’d like to speed things up, you can turn the heat higher to get more caramelization. Stir continuously to prevent burning.
Frenched Onions
from https://www.foodandwine.com/
Take the beginnings of French onion soup — caramelized onions — and punch them up with savory beef bouillon, and you’ve got a base for a multitude of recipes that mirror the comforting flavors and richness of the classic French onion soup. The bouillon gives these onions a lovely savory and umami character, while the acidity of the sherry balances the sweetness of the softened onions.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds yellow onions (about 4 onions), thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons water, as needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon paste (such as Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base)
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add onions; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and dark golden, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring in 1 to 2 tablespoons water as needed if pan bottom gets too dark.
Stir in butter, sherry, and beef bouillon paste. Cook, stirring often, until butter melts and sherry evaporates, about 2 minutes.
