Caramelized onions are both sweet and savory, and the perfect topping for just about anything.  Use these to top your sandwiches, meats, salads, and soups… even ice cream!  Just remember, when you choose your onions, be sure to choose organic.

The Science

A study published in Science of Food and Agriculture found that organically grown onions have higher levels of antioxidants and polyphenols than onions grown conventionally. Two varieties of onions were grown over four years under organic, conventional and mixed management regimes. Upon chemical analysis, the authors found that the onions grown under complete organic management had significantly higher levels of phenolics, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity.

The Recipe

Photo credit: Stacy Spensley

Ingredients

• 3 large organic onions - white, yellow or red
• 3 Tbsps. organic olive oil
• 4 Tbsps. wine or water for deglazing

Directions

Cut onions into slices that are about 1/8 of an inch thick.  Add onions and oil into a frying pan and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and dark brown. If onions begin to burn, lower the heat and stir more frequently. Once the onions are done cooking, add your wine or water to deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping off any onions that have stuck to the pan.

Banner Photo Credit: MSPhotographic; istockphoto.com