Classic Onion Dip
…and how to caramelize onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1 pint (16 oz) sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 chives, minced
- In a large skillet, preheated over a medium-low heat, add the olive oil and then the onions. Slowly sauté the onions until they’re browned, almost completely soft, and sweet, for 35-40 minutes. Add the shallots, and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the onions are soft and cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This will all take 45-50 minutes. May be done up to three days ahead. See notes below
- After the onions have cooled, chop them into bite-sized pieces.
- Whisk together the sour cream and mayonnaise, and add the onions, garlic powder and chives.
- Chill for at least three hours, and serve with potato chips or fresh vegetables.
Yield: approximately 2 ½ cups
Caramelized onion notes:
- The skillet should be over a medium or medium-low heat.
- There should be a faint “sizzle” in the pan
- If the pan is too hot, the onions are starting to stick after a while, and the bottom of the pan is starting to get brown, add 2-3 tablespoons of water to the pan to deglaze it. If you add too much water, that’s okay. The excess water will evaporate
- This is not a fast process. It will take 45-50 minutes
- You do not have to constantly stir the onions. Just keep and eye on them to make sure the heat is neither too high or too low