by Sara Schewe

Created on: January 14, 2009   Last Updated: July 16, 2010

Onions have a bad reputation: they make some people cry, and they give others heartburn. The crying part is often solved by refrigerating the onion before cutting it, and caramelizing the onion brings out the natural sugars and makes it easier to digest.

But how do you caramelize an onion? The process is easier than it sounds, but it does require a little patience. All you need are onions, fat (butter or oil), and a pan, but the process is a bit easier if you add a little brown sugar. You can use either a nonstick or stainless pan for this dish, but if you would like to make a pan sauce later, use the stainless pan.

You'll want to begin by heating 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. While this is warming, cut two onions in half through the roots. Cut the onions into thin half-circle slices. When the butter has melted, add the onions to the pan and stir to distribute all of the butter. Add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and a dash of salt. Stir every minute or so and allow the onions to cook. Cooking the onions over low heat ensures they won't burn or get too dark; patience is the key to getting a good result here.

Once they are caramelized, you can enjoy the onions in many ways. Add them to sandwiches, especially if you have a tart cheese such as goat cheese, or a rich cheese like Gorgonzola. The sweetness of the onions really pairs well with both of these cheeses.

Caramelized onions also pair very well with meat; place a bed of caramelized onions on a plate and top with a grilled steak. Add a little blue cheese to the top of the warm steak, and you've completely transformed the dish and upped the "wow" factor.

You can also pan-fry boneless chicken breasts or turkey tenderloins in the same pan you made the onions in, and then make a pan sauce with chicken stock or white wine to scrape up any brown bits from the onions and meat. The sauce will further intensify the flavor of the dish without competing with the sweetness of the onions. It's fast, inexpensive, and it can take boneless, skinless chicken breasts to a whole new level.

If you've never had caramelized onions as a pizza topping, you're missing out. They work well with both vegetable and meat toppings but can also stand alone, showing their true versatility. Play around with different cheese selections with the onions to reinvent the dish each time you make it.

For a slightly different spin on fajitas, try them with caramelized onions. Because bell peppers are sweet, they really pair nicely with the sweet onions. Cook the chicken strips in a mixture of brown sugar, chili powder, and lime juice, and you've just taken chicken fajitas to a whole new level. They're sweet, but the lime juice prevents the dish from being overly sweet; a little shredded cheddar or a dollop of sour cream on each fajita will really round out the dish. This is an easy weeknight dinner that is simply delicious; you will want to make this meal over and over again.

Caramelized onions are a very versatile addition to your cooking repertoire. They are low-maintenance, allowing you to easily concentrate on other tasks in the kitchen.

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