Caramelized Onion Dip

Ever go to a party or a potluck and eat something so amazing that you have to have the recipe NOW? This happens to me all. the. time. Usually it's because it brings back a memory of something I ate as a child and have searched for the recipe for years, or it's a better version of something I make, or I don't have anything else like it in my recipe file, or, more than likely, it's just so darn good I can't imagine living my life never eating it again.

This is typically when I will go on a hunt to find the person who brought the item. And then after begging them to send me the recipe and giving them 4 different ways to contact me, including my ridiculously easy to remember phone number (just in case they lose the piece of paper that has my email on it. Duh.), I'm left to sit back and Facebook stalk hope they remember and send me the recipe in a timely manner (I LOVE people who memorize recipes for this very reason.). It is always my fear (and sadly has happened on too many occasions) that the person from which I ask the recipe is someone that either doesn't share recipes (for SHAME!) or forgets all about me and leaves me never eating of the goodness that was that brownie/potato salad/casserole/amazing cookie ever again. Sigh.

I feared this would happen with this recipe. The person who brought it was a friend of a friend that I didn't really have a connection to on a regular basis. I would probably not see her again. I was warned before my first bite that if I chose to partake in this dip, I would not be able to walk away. She was right. I sat myself right in front of this dip and with the help of 2 or 3 other people who also discovered its goodness (and smartly kept it a secret) we devoured the entire thing. Thankfully the dip-bringer came through and sent me the recipe. If you can't tell, I love. this. recipe.

Be warned: It's addicting. There is NOTHING in it that is good for you. In fact, if you're on a low-fat diet (or any diet), just walk away right now. There is a reason that the nutritional table is not included in this recipe! I'm sure those numbers would be alarming.

But the good news is that it takes time to make (for a dip) so you don't make it too often. It tastes amazing on top of burgers too. And basically if you make this, the entire party will love you forever. So, this summer if you're having a barbeque, or really, any kind of get together, you need to indulge and make this at least once. Just not on a day you're thinking of starting a diet. (I'm noticing this is a warning I've put on more than one recipe. Is that a problem??)

Caramelized Onion Dip

The Rest of the Best – Vol 2 (pg: 61)

A Year of the Best (pg: 6)

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion

¼ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup butter

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground pepper

4 oz (115g) cream cheese, room temperature (buy the box, not the tub)

½ cup sour cream

½ cup mayonnaise

Instructions:

Cut onion in half and slice thinly.

Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.

Add onion, cayenne, salt and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes more, until onions are browned and caramelized. Cool.

Beat cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise until smooth. Add onions and mix well.

Serve with potato chips, crackers or on top of burgers.

Some tips: I generally stir the whole time as I have had the onions burn and that is a sad day. For this same reason I tend to lean toward the lower temp end of things and as the onions cook I turn the heat down.

Enjoy!