Recipe: How to Cook an Onion - sweet, clear & gentle or meaty, rich flavors

HOW TO COOK AN ONION

So many recipes begin with "saute the onion" that one would think this is simple, right? But how you cook that onion can change how your recipe is going to taste. There are two basic approaches:

For a sweet, clear, and gentle onion flavor:
In a light film of butter or oil, cook the onion, covered, very, very slowly over low heat. The onion will actually sweat out its essence. You can add aromatics to this process - a bay leaf, a sprig of celery leaves, parsley (remove them when the onion is cooked and their flavors linger).

For meaty, rich flavors:
Brown the onion in a generous amount of oil or butter, uncovered, over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the onion to a deep golden brown and you have the perfect start for a robust saute, stew, or soup.

Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: The Splendid Table's How to Eat Weekends: New recipes, stories & opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift