Cook onions once, doctor them up into many meals later
I'm all about food that can multi-task. As in, if I'm going to put the effort into something, I want it to be not just a dinner, but a building block for other meals later in the week.
That was the inspiration for this ridiculously easy caramelized onion recipe. I wanted something effortless, versatile and really flavorful that could be used in a number of ways.
Here's the theory: spend about 10 minutes active time making a massive pot of caramelized onions, then use them as the basis for meals throughout the week.
This recipe is easiest if you use a food processor or mandoline to slice the onions. After that, it's just a matter of dumping the ingredients in a pot and stirring it every now and again. The red pepper flakes add a mild bite. Don't like bite? Leave it out.
Also, as long as you have a very large stockpot or Dutch oven, this recipe is easily doubled or even tripled.
The first night I made them, I ate the onions warm spread over toast and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. Simple and outstanding.
Meal 2: Pasta
Heat some of the onions in large saucepan. Add chopped cooked bacon and grated Parmesan. Toss until melted, then add cooked pasta and several tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Toss, then season with salt and pepper.
Meal 3: Sandwich
Slather some of the onions, warm or cold, onto a thick slice of bread. Top with deli-sliced smoked turkey and provolone cheese. Toast in a 400-degree oven until the cheese is melted.
Meat 4: Pizza
Get yourself a ball of dough or a ready-made crust. Top it with caramelized onions, chopped Kalamata olives and crumbled blue cheese or feta. Bake at 500 degrees until the crust is done and the cheese mel.
Meal 5: Dip
Still have more onions? Mix the with sour cream and eat with carrot sticks or chips. Or to make it even richer, blend the sour cream with cream cheese in a food processor, then stir in the onions.
J.M. Hirsch is food editor for The Associated Press. Write him at jhirsch@ap.org.
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