There are certain foods that can instantly transport me back to my childhood a la Ego from Ratatouille.
Grilled vegetables with ‘Italian seasoning’ instantly takes me back to my parent’s back deck in the summertime, my Dad’s chili will always make me think of Super Bowl Sunday, and Lipton’s French Onion Soup Dip makes me think of sitting in my parent’s living room in the winter time. I’m pretty sure if left to my own devices I would have eaten an entire pint of dip and a bag of chips…I probably still could now. Thankfully Chef won’t let me.
I’ve recently been attempting to take some of my favorite foods from my childhood and make them from scratch without absurd amounts of salt or creepy preservatives. I can’t claim that I’m doing this for health reasons, I still have a soft spot for frozen foods and Taco Bell after all, but this way it means I can eat as much as I want and not feel bad about it. Since the weather is getting colder (frigid really) and I have no desire to go anywhere I decided to give making one of my favorite recipes, French Onion Dip, a try and I was not disappointed.
Yes, this recipe takes more work than just throwing a pack of soup mix into some sour cream, but it is worth it. In about 30 minutes you can have your own homemade French Onion Dip that’ll taste just as good (if not better) than the cracky Lipton packet ever did.
Here’s what you’ll need (adapted from here):
1 16 oz container of sour cream
3 medium white onions, thinly sliced
1/8 tsp onion powder
Salt and Pepper, to taste
2 cups unsalted beef stock
Place two tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottom sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer add the onions, onion powder, and a bit of salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally so that the onions brown evenly.
As the onions begin to brown they may begin to coat the pan, if a fond (caramelized pieces that are stuck to the pan) begins to form and you cannot scrape it up, use some of the beef stock to deglaze the pan and scrape up the bits.
Once the onions are a medium-brown color add the remaining beef stock and simmer until the stock has reduced to about 1 tablespoon.
Set aside to cool.
Add the cooled onions into the sour cream and stir to combine.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve with potato chips.
Place two tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottom sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer add the onions, onion powder, and a bit of salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally so that the onions brown evenly.
As the onions begin to brown they may begin to coat the pan, if a fond (caramelized pieces that are stuck to the pan) begins to form and you cannot scrape it up, use some of the beef stock to deglaze the pan and scrape up the bits. Once the onions are a medium-brown color add the remaining beef stock and simmer until the stock has reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Set aside to cool.
Add the cooled onions into the sour cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with potato chips.