This is an ode to onion dip that I wrote on Dec. 30, 2012 for the Boston Herald‘s food blog. I felt the need to re-post it here for two reasons: My grandmother, who died last April at 101, used to serve Lipton Onion Soup Dip to my little brother and me every New Year’s Eve and I will think of her tonight. And also because I needed the updated, albeit “cleaner” recipe to ring out 2013 and it was a shame to waste a Google search. 

There are probably two New Year’s Eves in my adult life I remember fondly — one which included an enormous silver paper mache sardine.

But what was better than New Year’s Eve when you were a kid?

The night of Dec. 31 for me was a sleep-over at Nana‘s where she let me stay up to watch a much, much younger Dick Clark countdown to 1969 or 1972 in Times Square. We had Canada Dry ginger ale to drink and a bowl of Lipton Onion Dip with a basket of Ruffles potato chips. Always Ruffles. They had Rrrrridges.

How I miss that tasty, addictive onion dip scooped up in that ridged chip. I can taste it right now. Sigh.

Now, you would think I would have graduated to Beluga caviar on toasts or raw oysters with a champagne vinegar mignonette for my end of the year repasts. Nah. Let the Beautiful People in St. Barts eat the fancy food. This year, dammit, I’m making onion dip!

I will turn a blind eye to using full fat sour cream tomorrow night since it’s the holidays. (I really need to stop saying that.) But 610 mg of sodium in that packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix? I’d be retaining water until Valentine’s Day.

Thankfully, a few years ago a good friend shared his recipe for homemade onion dip. No, it doesn’t really taste like the over-salted retro dip of my youth, but it’s a decent adult substitute. And if you can’t find Ruffles, there’s always crudites. Booooooo.

REAL ONION DIP

2 T. vegetable oil

2 medium Spanish onions (not sweet), chopped

¾ c. mayonnaise

¾ c. sour cream

4 oz. cream cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Fresh chives, finely chopped (for garnish)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium fire. Add onions, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring often, until deep golden brown, another 15-20 minutes. Cool completely in skillet.

Mix mayonnaise, sour cream and cream cheese with onions in skillet, being sure to mix in any juices or caramelized bits. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days to allow flavors to meld. Thin with milk before serving if necessary. Garnish with chives.

Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve chilled or at room temperature with potato chips or crudites. (Yield: 2 cups)

 

 

Tags: #cooking, #LauraRaposa, #newyearseve, #newyearsevefood, #oniondip, #TheFoodsmith