Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
O N E S I M P L E D I S H: Caramelized onions are a preparation that belongs in
every cook's repertoire. They are easy to make and endlessly versatile: add a little cooked
bacon or slivered prosciutto, and you have a pasta sauce; top a pizza with caramelized
onions and goat cheese, and you have a feast. Caramelizing onions is basically a matter
of long, slow cooking, but there are a couple of tricks that make it easier. Slice the onions
into rings that are 1/4 to 1/z inch thick, depending on how long you want to cook them
and how much texture you want at the end (thicker equals longer with slightly more bite).
Put them in a cold, heavy skillet with just enough olive oil to lightly cover the bottom of
the pan. Start them cooking over medium heat. When the onions have softened a little, salt
them, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. The salting will draw moisture from the
onions; the lid will concentrate the heat. Cook them, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, un-
til limp and beginning to color, about 45 minutes. Raise the heat slightly and remove the
lid. They will finish coloring in another 5 minutes. If you want to add garlic (something I
heartily recommend), do it only at the last stage. Garlic contains much less moisture and
will scorch a lot earlier.
Pink Pickled Onions
This is one of those preparations that in an ideal world would always be in our re-
frigerators. The sharpness of the vinegar and the sweetness of the onion combine
to make a perfect addition to almost any sandwich you can think of. These onions
also are good on sliced roast meat, particularly pork.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART
