Caramelized onions are like gold in your freezer. They are great to have on hand to stir into dishes like this one, which tastes like French onion soup and Gruyere cheese mashed into potatoes. This recipe will give you leftover onions. If you want to make less, see the note.
SERVES 6 TO 8
INGREDIENTS:
CARAMELIZED ONIONS
- 1/4 cups (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, halved and cut into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons sugar
POTATOES:
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 6 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and quartered
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere or Emmentaler cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- To make the onions: Melt the butter with the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, thyme, and sugar. Stir to coat the onions and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove from heat and cool. Reserve 1/2 cup of the onions for the mashed potatoes. Cool the remaining onions completely and save for another use.
- To make the potatoes: Pour the water into the pressure cooker. Arrange the trivet and steamer basket in the bottom and stack the potatoes in the basket. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid steam. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot, shaking to dry. Mash in the cream until smooth. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of caramelized onions and the cheese, stirring until blended. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired. Serve the potatoes immediately.
NOTE:
- If you would like to make just half a recipe of caramelized onions, simply halve the quantities of the ingredients. You end up with 1 cup of caramelized onions. Use 1/2 cup for the potatoes and save the remaining 1/2 cup for another dish.
