Caramelised onions

Onions are so versatile and full of goodness. One thing I like to make with onions, when I have time, are caramelised onions. They will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 4 weeks, and give you a great pot of yummy goodness to dip into. I would have them on top of homemade burgers, pop a spoonful in a casserole, or use on top of some flaky pastry. Roll out the pastry onto a baking sheet, dot a few fork pricks in it, then bake it in the oven for ten minutes with nothing on it. Then spread on your onions. You can then pop back in the oven, as is, for another 10/15 minutes, or you could add some sliced cooked potatoes, cheese, anchovies, or whatever takes your liking.

To make the caramelised onions, first warm some oil and a knob or two of butter in a large pan, then add your sliced onions. I also add some salt at this point and some thyme to taste. The salt helps bring the juices out of the onions, which we need. We want the onions to soften but not to caramelise yet. Pop the lid on the pan, turn the heat to a low simmer and find something else to do, as this takes about an hour. You do need to stir it about every 10 mins, so don’t just forget about them completely.

After an hour, remove the lid and turn the heat up, this is when it will start to caramelise - care not to burn them, just caramelise. It can still take some time depending on how juicy your onions were, so be patient.

They will soon start to take on a nice shade of caramel. When you are happy, turn off the heat, let them cool and pop them into a container and store in the fridge.

I did say you need plenty of time! They’re worth it though.