Caramelized Onions

By MarieR

AJC, 4 May 2014
These caramelized onions make a great topper for burgers or an impromptu sauce for sautéed chicken breast.

Ingredients

• 1 very large sweet onion
• 1 Vz tablespoons butter
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 'A cup dry sherry, Chinese cooking wine or
• dry white wine 8 ounces chicken broth Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Trim both ends of the onion and peel off the outer skin. Cut it into 1/4-inch slices, and don't worry about being too even. Heat a cast-iron skillet over a high flame. Add the butter and thyme and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions in an even layer. Do not stir until they've blackened and started to shrivel. Turn them over and blacken the other side. Add the wine and stir until liquid is evaporated and the onions begin to cling to the bottom of the pan. Add 1/3 of the broth and stir well, scraping up any black bits on the pan. When the liquid is evaporated and the onions start to cling to the pan again, add another 1/3 of the broth and reduce heat to medium. Stir onions occasionally. When liquid is nearly evaporated, add the remaining broth and reduce, stirring often, just until liquid is thick and glossy. Season to taste and fish out the thyme sprigs.
Sweet onions caramelizing in chicken broth receive an extra hint of flavor with the addition of thyme.