Growing up, my mother would only let me eat Kraft’s french onion dip from a tub on vacation. Later in life, while away at college, I would find that people didn’t just eat the stuff out of tubs, but mixed their own using sour cream and onion soup mix from a packet. Don’t get me wrong, both are good, but nothing compares to the overwhelming richness and depth of flavor that comes from the real thing — deeply, caramelized onions.
This stuff is just plain good. So good, in fact, that after making a fresh batch for a party the following day, my two former roommates devoured an entire bowl in one sitting. When brought to parties and potlucks and served alongside crudites or a bowl of sturdy, ridged potato chips, it has been known to disappear in minutes. My sister has even taken to slathering the stuff on turkey sandwiches for lunch; an application that certainly gained my seal of approval.
Real, homemade onion dip is the kind of thing that catches the unsuspecting eater off-guard. Those expecting a mild, light hint of dehydrated onion among a sea of sour cream and mayonnaise are taken aback by this version’s astounding savory flavor. After all, this is just the type of dish that people don’t take the time to make from scratch. The word “time” is key in this instance as it does take quite a bit of it to coax the inherent sweetness from the onions. So, next time you have a few extra onions on-hand and are craving something ultra-indulgent, think about whipping up a real batch of onion dip.
Read more
