Simple Caramelised Onions
2 Large Onions
1.5 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry/port
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme (add up to a level teaspoon if you like)
Black Pepper
There are heaps of recipes for caramelised onions available and lots of them are delicious - but often they call for shallots and particular colour onions and some specific sugar that is a very definite shade of brown. Can anyone really get that caught up between Moscovado and Demerara on a Tuesday morning? And as for the colour of the onion ….. well if you are reading this recipe then, like me, you’ve never met an onion you didn’t like!
I’ve made these recipes - they are of course delicious - but the peeling of endless shallots and panic over port and the smell in the house for days … renders it all a bit bothersome.
If on the other hand you would like some delicious onions for pittas, sangers (if British see Sarnies), tartlets, antipasta etc - look no further than this speedy little winner - the onions last ages and jazz up every thing!
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As the METHOD on this is vague - you can assume its fairly fool proof!
Slice 2 large onions. Red or White
Pop them in a saucepan with the butter and oil *. Sweat them on a low heat till they start to soften and then add your sugar. If you don’t have brown … why panic .. use white it will be fine! Once you think the sugar has melted then add your teaspoon of thyme.
Keep stirring and once they are quite soft and the colour is a bit translucent then add your sherry. Port will do fine.
Cook these on low for around 20 mins - remembering to stir often so they don’t burn.
Here’s the vague bit! You want to sweat these for a good while in the butter and sherry liquid and any juice from the onions - but you need to reduce that liquid by the time they are finished … so you will do this by using a lid on the pot. If you think you’ve let the liquid evaporate too quickly leave the lid on for a while to build up liquid and when you need it to go - take the lid off! But even when the lid is on - take it off any time you think you need to stir.
I don’t know what type of hob you have - on some 2 is low but mine can be below 1 and still cooking so just feel your way on this one - lets put it this way …
If they aren’t burning - that’s a good sign
If they aren’t cooked after 20 mins - cook them some more!
*The oil is so that the butter doesn’t burn
For a great onion peeling tip see Trishas.transformation vid here
Delicious on sandwiches, puff pastry tarts, with steak, on pizza …