Caramelized Onion Sauce
Adapted from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven
Preparation time: Up to an hour (5 to 10 minutes of work)
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups, easily multiplied
As a child, when I read
The Wind in the Willows, I wondered
why Mr. Toad would exclaim "Onion sauce!" when he was perturbed.
(Mostly, though, I wondered what onion sauce actually was, since
nothing remotely resembling it existed in my mother's repertoire.)
However, having discovered the following recipe, I now know who
deeply sweet and mellow an onion sauce can be. I think someone
should advise Mr. Toad to use another expression when he is
angry.
This sauce is very easy. Once you've sliced the onions, you've done
99% of the work. You can slice the onions well in advance, and
store them in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator or even the
freezer.
You can make the onions more or less well done, depending on
whether you want them to retain some texture, or to become
fluffy.
Serve Caramelized Onion Sauce on pasta or homemade pizza -- or in
omelets, with crumbled goat cheese. Or heap this recipe on top of
grains, beans, cooked vegetables, or mashed potatoes. You can also
serve it openface on small toasts with a swirl of
Balsamic Drizzle.
Store the finished sauce in an airtight container in the
refrigerator, where it will keep for a week or longer.
1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted
butter
4 medium-sized onions, very thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
- Heat the oil or melt the butter in a large skillet, and then
swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions to the hot oil or butter, and
cook over high heat for a minute or two, stirring a couple of
times. Sprinkle in the salt, lower the heat to medium, and cook,
stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook from 30 to 45 minutes
longer, stirring just once or twice during this time. The longer
the onions cook, the sweeter and softer they will become. At some
point the onions will disintegrate and become a fluffy sauce.