Caramelized Onion And Sour Cream Spread

Leaping off the backs of onion-soup-mix boxes and showing up at cocktail parties everywhere, Lipton's sour cream-and-onion dip took the country by storm. Convenient and quick, the dip also tasted great on potato chips, without which, in the fifties anyway, it wasn't a party. These days it isn't a party without little toasts topped by something Mediterranean -- hence this zesty update.

Courses: Dips and Spreads, Starters and appetizers
Serves: 6 people

Recipe Ingredients

3 tablespoons	45ml	Olive oil - plus
1/3 cup	78ml	Olive oil
1 cup	62g / 2.2oz	Red onion - thinly sliced (large)
1 cup	237ml	Red bell pepper - thinly sliced (large)
1/2		Fennel bulb - cored, sliced thin
2 teaspoons	10ml	Herbes de Provence - see * Note
1 teaspoon	5ml	Sugar
8		Garlic cloves - finely chopped
1/3 cup	78ml	Sour cream
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1 tablespoon	15ml	Drained capers
18		Olive bread, 4" by 1 1/2" by 1/4" thk

Recipe Instructions

* Note: A combination of dried thyme, basil, savory and fennel seeds can be substituted for herbes de Provence.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients. Cover; cook until vegetables release their juices, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Uncover; saute until juices evaporate, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook until vegetables are very tender and just beginning to brown, about 12 minutes longer. Cool completely.

Puree vegetable mixture and sour cream in processor until almost smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with capers.

Preheat broiler. Arrange bread slices on baking sheet. Brush both sides of bread slices with 1/3 cup oil. Toast about 2 minutes per side. Cool. Serve with spread.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Source:
Bon Appetit, September 1999

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