Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Caramelized Onion Dip

What can I say about Christmas this year? I almost wasn't ready for it since it was 80 here up until a week before. Then when I thought I was ready for it, it just hit me like a ton of bricks or perhaps a pitcher of pomegranate margaritas.

See, I actually had a little accident in the kitchen. I was stupid & wrapped my whole hand around a meat thermometer which had been in the oven for 50 minutes at 450. Yah, it was kinda hot. So, in an effort to relieve the pain or wait until the aloe vera kicked in I downed a few too many, too quickly. And it hit me. Not exactly what I wanted for a special Christmas with my family. I was actually very sad the 1st few days after the holiday knowing that I'd never get it back but I am focusing on all the good parts before the chaos set in, & I'll be sharing those parts in bits & pieces throughout the next few posts so I can savor a bit of Christmas.

And there still were a few treats from the kitchen I'd like to share with you as well. One being this fantastic dip. Once you try this I doubt you'll ever go back to the boxed onion soup mix/dip again. I will definitely be making this for Super Bowl. I served it with pita chips, crudites such as red pepper & celery & potato chips. So good......................


{Not the best picture but this really is the BEST dip. It's a must make}


CARAMELIZED ONION DIP from Barefoot Contessa


2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil *
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise




Cut the onions in half & then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds (you will have about 3 cups of onions). Heat the butter & oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, & pepper & saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low* & cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned & caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream & mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment & beat until smooth. Add the onions & mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

{Food for Thought}

You definitely don't need ¼ cup vegetable oil for sautéing the onions. Just a swirl or two around the pan is good enough. Also, I always caramelize my onions on medium high so I never reduced the heat like the recipe stated. I’d leave the onions alone for a few minutes & then I would give a stir & keep doing the same until you get the nice deep brown color, which brings out their sweetness.

Also, I strongly recommend rough chopping your onions once they are done & before adding them to your cream cheese mixture. This way, no one is getting a huge piece of onion.

And of course I wanted to share a few pics with you which I will be doing for the next few posts:




 {The table was simple but pretty. I used our everyday clear glass plates but placed them over chargers. I also finally invested in a set of my own cotton tablecloths. I placed one of my folding tables perpendicular to my dining room table}



{I took a higher quality white paper napkin & used clear jewelry cord to wrap a tag around the napkin with everyone's name on it, to act as place settings. Each tag was different}



I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!

21 comments:

BeautifulDisaster311 said...

What a pretty tablescape! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and here's to all to come in 2010!

Coco said...

Your table looks beautiful. Love the gold.
Since I was sick, let's just say you were being a good friend and drank for Coco as well as yourself.

Feel better now?

I have something for you over at my blog.

Michelle said...

Ohhhhh that's what you meant by a Christmas incident. Yikes! I hope your hand is feeeling better soon.

Mmmm caramelized onion dip. Love it. I'm never a fan of the boxes, especially when the real deal is actually pretty easy. Yum!

Jen said...

You table was just beautiful!

And I hope that your hand is feeling better.

Gloria Baker said...

Your Table is absolutely beauty! and I hope your ahnd is better, I always have this little accidents oh my God!
The dip look fantastic, I love it. feel better! gloria

FROGGITY! said...

ahhh!!! hope your hand is okay!! i hate that for you!

well, your table looks divine and your dip superb! hope you have a very happy new year. (and a nice time savoring the season!)

ChefDruck said...

The dip looks delicious. I'm going to have to try it for sure. We had a similar Christmas incident last year when our Turducken took hours and hours to cook and we ended up having a drunken carve up of a near raw (and still somewhat frozen) beast around 10:30.

Found your blog through Angie's gorgeous new Seven Clown Circus site and her blog roll.

Ma What's 4 dinner said...

This really is the BEST DIP EVER!!!! I'm stopping myself from licking the computer screen...

Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner?
www.MaWhats4Dinner.com

Simple Daisy said...

The table looks great!!
I love carmelized onions!! I also love them on my pizza:)
Hey...
Thanks for the tips on Blue Heaven and Kelly's in Key West. They ROCKED!!!!
We probably never would have found them if it hadn't been for your tip!!
thanks and have a super wonderful New Year!!!!!

Unknown said...

That dip sounds and looks GREAT! Even though it doesn't show in the picture, I can tell it is DELISH! Oh my! I might make it tonight to take to my friends bash. : ) If we can go (because of the snow that is...) Happy New Year!

Joanie said...

I really need to make sure I have a full tummy before reading your blog. It makes me sooo hungry!! And I could eat those carmelized onions just as they look in that picture!

Hula Hank said...

On impulse, I going to make this dip right now
Although I don't have any sour cream, but I won't hold that against you.

FROGGITY! said...

in re: comment about charleston: if sometime in the 2010 - 2011 year we're there you do happen to venture to the charleston lowcountry, we can totally meet up!!
:) happy new year!

Chef E said...

How did I miss this one? I have to go to my google reader more often!

Nice dip recipe!

Beautiful settings...I know I use that word a lot, but I am sincere...

Tabitha Blue said...

Oh goodness!! What a crazy way to celebrate Christmas, hope your hand is better, and don't worry, I'm sure your family enjoyed their time with you :) And what a gorgeous tablescape!

Rhiannon Bosse said...

Everything looks so nice and purdy!! And that dip! ahh that dip :) Yummy! xx

Angela said...

Beautiful table and the dip looks so yummy! I love Ina.

I am SO sorry about your hand! Just last night I made oven been burgundy and had to give thanks for the intelligent folks at Le Creuset, because it had not been out of the oven for even 5 minutes before I unthinkingly grabbed the lid. Thank God for their "stay cool" handles and that I didn't manage to touch the lid itself. Yow! I can totally sympathize as it seems I'm always injuring myself!

Alea Milham said...

My husband loves onion dip, but I don't like all the junk in the store bought type. This recipe is a keeper.

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