Maybe it was at a barbecue; maybe it was a fateful holiday party that led to the first taste of tangy, slick French onion dip shoveled high atop a ruffled potato chip. It’s so retro, it practically begs you to wear a pair of cat-eye glasses while eating a scoopful.
This version eschews a packet of powder or the (admittedly satisfying) crack of a can for low-and-slow-cooked onions, a worthwhile time expenditure when they’re stirred together with not one, not two, but three creamy components. Plus, it makes the house smell divinely comforting! Bump up the Worcestershire if you’re feeling extra saucy.
YIELD: 2 cups
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours, plus overnight chilling time
DIFFICULTY: 1
1 medium red onion
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
1 large garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon coarse-grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup (4 ounces) mayonnaise
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut the ends off the onion, then cut it in half lengthwise. Peel and slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons.
Melt the butter in a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed pan over low heat. Add the onion slices and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1-1/2 hours until soft and deeply caramelized. Cool the onions to room temperature, then chop into a coarse paste.
Mince the garlic clove, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt, and slide the side of the knife against the minced garlic to mash it. Continue to chop, slide, sprinkle salt, and smash until a coarse paste forms.
Combine the garlic, onions, cream cheese, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl, then stir in the sour cream and mayonnaise. Add more salt as needed, to taste.
Cover and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors meld further before serving.
Store the dip in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.