Kitchen Basics: How to Make Caramelised Onions

We all have a little black dress (or is that LBD?).  Something we can pull out of the cupboard at a moments notice and dress up or down according to the occasion.  The old standby that never fails us.  Caramelised onions are the culinary equivalent of that LBD. Having a jar in the fridge means you are ready for anything, be it a quick dinner at home or drinks with friends.

Whilst I find caramelised onions to be a great kitchen staple, I can’t pretend that there is not a time investment to actually make them. Because there is.  They take a good hour to slowly cook down to sticky deliciousness.  However they are not high maintenance, requiring nothing more than a quick stir now and again, so I make a batch when I have other things to do in the kitchen.

Do not try and rush the cooking process. Trust me, it will not go well.  On those occasions I have tried to hurry things along, the onions have browned but not softened into the desirable sticky mass.  Long, slow cooking allows the naturally high sugars in the onions to concentrate and caramelise, turning the onions soft and sweet. When making these, patience truly is your friend.

There are more uses for caramelised onions than I have space to write.  I stuff them into burgers, strew them over the base of a quiche or quick tart, add them to pizzas and even pile them on to sourdough toasts for a quick snack.  I cannot be the only person who has started dinner then realised I need an extra half hour to sweat off the onions.  A large scoop of caramelised onions readily solves this problem.

A jar of caramelised onions will keep for a few weeks in the fridge, but the cooked onions also freeze really well.  Pack spoonfuls into an ice cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a zip lock bag once frozen.  The frozen cubes can be thrown straight into soups or stews.  I have even given jars of these onions as gifts, they are that useful.

If you can find yourself a little bit of time, slice some onions and prepare to drool at the aroma as they start to melt in the pan.  I have a couple of recipes to share in the coming weeks for these caramelised onions, so as hard as it is, try not to eat all of them straight out of the pan.

Kitchen Basics: How to Make Caramelised Onions   Print Prep time 10 mins Cook time 1 hour Total time 1 hour 10 mins   You do not need to add the balsamic vinegar and sugar to the onions, but they do add a slightly deeper flavor. I always add it.
Store these in a clean jar in the fridge for up to two weeks. If you wish to keep them for longer, I recommend freezing them into meal size portions. I use ice cube trays.
These will be vegan if you use olive oil to caramelise the onions. Author: Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas Serves: 1 cup Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons ghee or olive oil
• 5 large onions (approx. 1kg), finely sliced.
• Pinch of sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dark muscovado sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt the ghee in a heavy based fry pan over a low heat.
2. Add the onions and salt, and stir to coat with the melted ghee.
3. Allow to cook over a low heat, stirring every 5 - 10 minutes. As the onions start to caramelise, it will appear that they are sticking to the bottom of the pan. This is perfectly normal. Just scrape the sticky parts off the bottom of the pan and stir it back into the onions.
4. When the onions are dark brown, soft and sticky (after approximately 1 hour) stir in the sugar and balsamic vinegar (if using)
5. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the balsamic vinegar had evaporated.
6. Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly then place in a clean jar.
7. Store in the fridge or freezer and use as desired.

Notes You can use a food processor to slice the onions if you wish. I can't be bothered washing the dishes so just slice them with a knife. 3.2.2807