April 1, 2009: Caramelised onion dip

I've had this recipe poised for use for a few weeks. I originally intended to make it for a beach party but drizzle kept us away from the coast and I repurposed it for a seminar afternoon at work. It's onion dip, but not as I'd seen it before - without the crunchy onion chunks and weird additives of the supermarket stuff, but neither relying on the powdered soup mix of other home recipes. Instead it uses onion powder and features glistening caramelised onions! It does take some patience to slow cook those onions down to sweet golden perfection, but it's a doddle from there.

Heidi (of 101 Cookbooks) has got my snacking predilections down perfectly with this one. The yoghurt-sour cream base is creamy with a little tang while the onions are sweet and savoury. It's actually difficult for me to maintain any sense of decorum when a bowl of this dip and a few crackers are within reach.

Caramelised onion dip
(originally posted by Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Greek yoghurt
3 teaspoons onion powder, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

In a large frypan, gently heat the oil and cook the onions over low heat with a pinch of salt. Stir them occasionally, cooking until the onions are a deep golden brown - this will take at least 40 minutes. Stir them more often as they darken to prevent burning. Take the onions off the heat and allow them to cool (I refrigerated them until the next morning.)

Whisk together the sour cream and yoghurt. Add the onion powder and salt gradually, to taste. Stir through two thirds of the caramelised onions, then sprinkle the rest over the top to serve. Serve the dip at room temperature.