French Onion Dip

Here is my latest column that was published in the Hinton Voice.

[When I was little, my Mom used to keep a plastic container filled with different soup mixes in our lazy Susan.   These mixes weren’t usually meant to be used for their intended purpose, but rather to spice dips and salad dressings (and the occasional meatloaf).   We’d mix the packages with sour cream for dips, and mayonnaise for salad dressings.   French onion was always a favourite of mine, and because I was never very decisive, I would mix the mayonnaise and sour cream together rather than choosing one over the other. Nearly every dip I make today starts with this base, with one exception - I now swap the sour cream for Greek yogurt (or for a hot dip, cream cheese).

Ever since I discovered plain Greek yogurt a few years back, I’ve used it in place of sour cream.  Not only do I use it to make dips or salad dressings, I also use it as the “secret” ingredient in a lot of my baking (namely my favourite banana bread recipe). The taste and texture are fairly similar, only Greek yogurt has far fewer calories and fat, so I feel like I’m eating something a little bit healthier.

Sweet onions have always been my onion of choice for anything French Onion related.  This advice first came from my husband’s Uncle Frank (who also happens to be French) when he taught me how to make his recipe for French onion soup.  He was very adamant that you needed to always use sweet onions, and after having made his recipe several times now, I can definitely see why.  Other types of onions are more pungent, whereas sweet onions have a milder, sweeter flavour (hence their name).  You could easily use whichever onions you have on hand, but sweet onions work the best for this recipe, and any thing else where you’re looking to achieve a true French Onion flavour.]

  

- Recipe yields 2 cups -

Ingredients

-        1 tbsp butter or olive oil

-        1 large Vidalia (sweet) onion, sliced into ¼ inch rings

-        1 clove garlic, minced

-        1 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

-        ½ cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)

-        ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

-        Black pepper & sea salt, to taste

-        Chives for garnish

Directions

Pre-heat a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes, or until caramelized (golden brown).   Add the garlic and sauté for an addition 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and let onions cool for about 5 minutes.   Chop onions into fine pieces and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, mix yogurt, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and sea salt.  Fold in onion mixture and place dip in fridge for 1-2 hours (for best results, overnight). 

Top with chives and serve with your favourite fresh veggies, chips, crackers, or for a true French Onion experience – a thinly sliced baguette topped with greyer cheese and toasted until the cheese is melted. 

- Nutritional Info (2 tbsp) -

Calories - 34   Fat - 2    Carbs – 1     Protein - 1   Fibre – 1

Enjoy!