Caramelized Onion and Shallot Dip

A trip back to the 50's and 60's....

Romulo Yanes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds large yellow or white onions, thinly sliced
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced (about 6 ounces total)
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup minced fresh chives
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons onion powder

• Preheat oven to 425°. Mix onions, shallots, thyme sprigs, and oil in a large roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper.
• Roast onion mixture, stirring and scraping down sides of pan every 10 minutes, until mixture starts to break down and turn golden brown, 45–55 minutes.
• Discard thyme sprigs. Add wine and vinegar; stir to scrape up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Return onion mixture to oven. Continue roasting, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown and completely caramelized, about 15 minutes longer. Spread onion mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
• Transfer onion mixture to a work surface and mince. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in sour cream, chives, yogurt, and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Dip can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; chill.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

1 serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 140
• Fat (g) 9
• Saturated Fat (g) 4
• Cholesterol (mg) 20
• Carbohydrates (g) 9
• Dietary Fiber (g) 1
• Total Sugars (g) 4
• Protein (g) 2
• Sodium (mg) 45

Queso Fundido

Coming from Texas, I love this type of appetizer.  Use chips or slather onto a warm flour tortilla...yum. 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 serrano chile, seeded, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• Kosher salt
• 8 ounces coarsely grated mild yellow cheddar
• 8 ounces coarsely grated Monterey Jack
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 4-ounce link fresh chorizo or hot Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup lager
• Tortilla chips

• Mix tomato, chile, and oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt; let salsa stand for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss both cheeses with flour in a medium bowl. Cook chorizo in a medium saucepan over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until it begins to render, about 1 minute. Add onion and continue cooking until chorizo is cooked and onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer chorizo mixture to a small bowl; return saucepan to heat. Add beer; simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits. Whisking constantly, add cheese mixture a 1/4-cupful at a time, allowing it to become blended and smooth between additions. Stir in chorizo mixture. DO AHEAD Queso can be made 30 minutes ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• To reheat, warm skillet with queso fundido over medium heat; stir until melted and bubbly.
• Using a slotted spoon, spoon salsa over queso. Serve in skillet with a basket of tortilla chips on the side.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

1 serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 280
• Fat (g) 18
• Saturated Fat (g) 9
• Cholesterol (mg) 55
• Carbohydrates (g) 5
• Dietary Fiber (g) 2
• Total Sugars (g) 1
• Protein (g) 22
• Sodium (mg) 680