Originally published in The News newspaper on November 4, 2011
Q: I love French onion soup, but haven't found a restaurant here that does it well. I going to make it myself and use caramelized onions, but mine always cook unevenly - half burnt and half still hard. Do you have any tips?
Karen, Mexico City
A: Breaking down and browning the natural sugars in onions gives them a melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich flavor that add an extra dimension to dishes. Onions are about 75% water by weight, and as they heat up moisture from their interior begins to evaporate, forcing its way out of the onion's cells, and causing them to rupture in the process. This breakdown of the cells is what causes onions to soften during the initial stages of cooking. As onion cells continue to break down, they release their contents, a complex mix of sugars, proteins, and aromatic compounds.
Once most of the liquid has evaporated and the temperature of the onion reaches 230°F and above, caramelization begins to take place. This reaction involves the oxidation of sugar, which breaks down, adding depth of flavor to your onions.
If you are having problems with cooking them evenly, here are some tips that you can use to make your onions perfect every time.
Both the browned fond on the bottom of the pan and the browned bits on the edges of the onions are made of water-soluble sugar-based compounds that happen to be concentrated in a single area. By adding just a small amount of water or stock to the pan at regular intervals, these compounds get dissolved and redistributed evenly throughout the onions and pan. Even distribution leads to even cooking, which leads to no single part burning before the rest is cooked.
In ensure a very soft result, you can add a pinch of baking powder during the caramelization process. In general, the higher the pH (more alkaline) the faster caramelization takes place, and the onions will be softer because pectin, the chemical glue that holds vegetable cells together, weakens in higher pHs.
You can add your sugar directly to a dry pan to make a liquid caramel sauce first. Then add the onions and butter. The result is a sweeter, more complex flavor.
In addition to French onion soup, try adding caramelized onions to mashed potatoes, pizza toppings, omelettes, sautéed greens, quesadillas, pasta, risotto and vinaigrettes.
Q: Is there any way to get rid of that horrible burned taste if I accidentally burn a pot of beans?
John, Mexico City
A: Unfortunately, you may need to toss them. If just the bottom is burned, you can try gently removing the unburned top part to put in another container. Some people swear that adding a cup of milk or a spoonful of peanut butter (believe it or not) will cover the taste. I haven't tried that, but it's worth a try, especially if you are short on time.
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