Onion

1 tablespoon bacon drippings ¼ cup sherry vinegar 3 medium-sized yellow onions, sliced thin 4 or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme     1. Cut the onions into thin slices. Add the bacon drippings to a medium skillet and heat over medium heat. When hot, add the onions. 2. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes, then lower the heat a little and continue cooking. After another 5 to 7 minutes, when the onions are golden brown, pour in the sherry vinegar, add the thyme, and stir well.

2 1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes 1 medium yellow onion 2 celery ribs 5 medium bulbs spring garlic 5 quarts water 1/2 pound loose fresh chorizo   1. Peel and halve the potatoes. 2. In a large pot, lightly saute the onions, celery, and garlic until soft. Season with salt and white pepper. 3. Add the potatoes and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender. Use the tip of a thin-bladed knife to check the potatoes.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 slices bacon, chopped 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 teaspoon juniper berries 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds 3 bay leaves 2 12-ounce bottles of lager, such as Spaten or Warsteiner 2 16-ounce cans sauerkraut 1 large smoked pork chop 2 links bratwurst 2 links bauernwurst or kielbasa   1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. 2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil, bacon, and onion.

4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter 1 large white onion, sliced thin 5 garlic cloves, chopped 1 jalapeño, including seeds, chopped 3 bottles Yuengling lager 6 cups canned whole tomatoes in their juice 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes 1/2 cup diced onion Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste     1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables become tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 pound Mexican pork chorizo, skins removed 1 white onion, diced 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon each: ground ancho chili, sweet paprika 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper 1/2 teaspoon each: thyme, ground allspice 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon salt 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed 1/2 cup...

For the pickled mushrooms: 2 quart containers of honshimeji mushrooms; a mix of brown and white is preferred 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 head of garlic, top trimmed 3 branches thyme 1 tablespoon coriander, crushed 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 quart mushroom or vegetable stock (store-bought stock is fine) 1/4 cup sherry vinegar For the onion puree: 2 large onions, peeled, diced fine 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup milk To finish: 1 bunch pencil asparagus, cut into one-inch pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons shallots, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon or chives 1. Quickly blanch the mushrooms in boiling, salted water for a minute.

2 ounces butter 6 large Spanish onions, peeled  and julienned 2 sprigs thyme 1, 12-ounce bottle hard cider 2 quarts beef stock Hard, crusty bread 8 ounces aged cheddar cheeses, cut into four portions Salt and pepper 1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and caramelize until tender and slightly brown. Add thyme and cider, turn heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add beef stock, cover, and simmer for approximately 1 hour.

Having recently fallen in love with the nutty flavor of red quinoa (say it KEEN-wah), I've been looking for ways to use the ancient grain. Updating a favorite recipe seemed like a good start. The dish, called East Indian rice, was clipped about 20 years ago from a newspaper. It's a simple rice dish with dried fruit and onions cooked right in, and flavored with curry powder, cinnamon, and ginger. Yogurt stirred in at the end makes it creamy.   Red Quinoa with Dried Fruit and Yogurt Makes 4 servings 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, finely diced 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped crystallized ginger or fresh grated ginger 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder 1 1/4 cups water 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, salt 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed, drained 1 cup diced dried mixed fruit 1/2 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature 1/2 cup salted cashews or peanuts Chopped fresh cilantro leaves 1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add onion and ginger.

Like parenting a teenager, the making of caramelized onions involves patience, love, and a watchful eye. Both endeavors likely will make you cry, but the payoff is worth it. I know this about the onions; I am reassured about the other by mothers and fathers who have been there. Some with a reckless streak have taken the route of benign neglect for both tasks. I can't say whether that approach works in child-rearing, but loading a slow cooker with sliced onions and a few other ingredients and then walking away for up to eight hours produces a passable, but not excellent, product when compared to those produced by babysitting them on the stove for up to an hour.

Here is an excerpt from the blog "My Daughter's Kitchen. " Who among us does not dream of cooking like Alice Waters? The legendary San Francisco chef almost single-handedly changed the reputation of healthy eating by creating food at Chez Panisse that was local, organic, good for you, and tasted sensational. In her cookbook The Art of Simple Food , Waters seeks to spread her gospel of great eating to those who don't have cooking degrees. And most of the recipes are eminently doable, even for beginners.