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Caramelized Onions

Some things you must really learn how to do, because they’re a basic part of some recipes. Even with the unique ingredients we use in our book’s recipes, other things are just tried-and-true common sense.

Caramelizing brings out the natural flavor of onion(s) and changes their chemical balance to make them more stomach-friendly for those who find them unpalatable when raw. We use caramelized onions in lots of recipes. The key is in blending them with other flavors.

Caramelized onions are important to stews, soups, casseroles, and are delicious on toast points.

Ingredients:

Onions (you pick the number)

A few drops of oil

Clarified butter (See Recipe for Clarified Butter)

A wiggle (1/16 teaspoon) of NapaStyle® gray sea salt

A wiggle (1/16 teaspoon) of pepper

A wiggle (1/16 teaspoon) of sugar (if you just have to have sugar)

A drop or two of water, white wine, or beer,

Directions:

Boil onion(s) for about one minute to loosen skin and reduce watering of your eyes.

Peel and chop boiled onion(s).

NOTE: Split your onion(s) in half for easy chopping. Place half of an onion, cut side down, on a clean, flat cutting surface, and then chop.

In a large sauté pan, medium-high temperature, add your butter and a few drops of oil.

Add onion(s) and stir until they are coated with oil and butter.

Continue to stir, careful not to burn onion(s).

Add a pinch of salt (this will increase the speed of cooking, by taking away some of the moisture through rapid evaporation).

Add pepper and sugar.

Continue to stir but allow some of the onions to stick to the bottom of the pan (yes!) while onions continue to darken.

Add a drop or two of water, white wine, or beer, depending on your taste, to keep all of the onions from sticking, and loosening those that have.

Remove from heat when your desired degree of caramelization has occurred.