When cooking, it is not the combination of many ingredients to make one dish that dazzles me most.  Rather, it is the careful attention given to only a few ingredients, done in a way to coax out maximum flavor, that gets me most excited.

And as we come out of winter and head into spring, when fresh local vegetables are at their most scarce, and the winter storage veggies have gone floppy and moldy (or, if you planned right, are all used up), this technique of cooking — making the most with just a little, is most prized.

Thus, at this time of year, I often turn my attention to the caramelized onion.  Onions are naturally high in sugars, and the slow, careful tending of them in a skillet can brown those sugars, creating wonderful flavor.  Once this ingredient has been prepared, any meat dishes that incorporate them burst with flavor.

The process of caramelizing onions is quite simple, but there are many common mistakes:  If they are cut too thin or cooked in too much fat, they can turn crisp and burn in the pan, rather than gently softening down and releasing those sugars.  The same results can happen if the cook grows impatient and turns the heat up too high.   The art of caramelization is to look at it as a meditation, a commitment to process.  It will take almost 30 minutes to caramelize them, and the cook’s presence of mind is key.  Tune out the pressures of your day.  Turn off the phone.  Tell the kids to find their crayons on their own.  Then pour yourself a glass of wine,  make yourself comfortable beside your skillet, focus your mind, and settle in for the journey.

Below is one of my favorite recipes that showcases caramelized onions and makes use of any odd bits of leftover lamb, pork or beef you might have on hand.  It includes my fool-proof caramelizing instructions.  Over the next few weeks, as we wait for spring to truly settle in, I’ll  continue to share a few other recipes that use them as a featured ingredient.

Onion Soup

Taken from Long Way on a Little: An earth lover’s companion for enjoying meat, pinching pennies and living deliciously.

This recipe is a constant standby in our home. Even when ingredients start to grow slim, there is always enough stuff on hand to make a batch of onion soup, enabling us to create a rich repast from only a few ingredients. While most recipes for onion soup require bread, this recipe does not call for it.  We think it tastes better without it.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter

4 large onions, sliced thin into 1/8 inch thick rings

1 cup finely diced cooked lamb, pork or beef

1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 cups meat broth (learn how to prepare it here)

Coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 ½ cups grated Swiss, Gruyere, or Cheddar cheese (or a locally-made equivalent)

Heat a soup pot over a medium flame. Add the butter, let it melt, and swirl to coat. Add the onions. They should sizzle as they hit the pan; if they sputter or splatter, lower the flame. Stir well, coating the onions in the butter. Continue to cook 2–3 minutes longer, until the onions have given up two-thirds of their volume in water. Once they start to brown, lower the flame and cook, stirring often, until they are caramelized, about 15–20 minutes longer. Lower the heat if they start to burn.

Add the meat, sprinkle in the thyme, and stir well. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer until the onions are very tender, about 15–20 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with cheese.