Recipe: Caramelized Onions and Greens

"Spontaneous Picnic Dress" from Reddish

One of the best things about having a slow-cooker is trying out new recipes. This post is dedicated to a delicious and ridiculously easy recipe that I was recently made aware of.

Did you know slow-cookers can be used to make Caramelized Onions?

So amazing.

And of course these onions can be used for all sorts of obvious dishes like French Onion Soup. But the recipe here is so simple and easy and down-right DELICIOUS that it has become an instant favorite.

Ingredients needed:
Onions (red or yellow onions work the best)
Leafy greens of some kind
Molasses
Cayenne Powder
Olive Oil

Step One: Cut up the onions.  These will end up being exceedingly soft and much smaller, so I usually just quarter the onions. Cutting into strips works just as well, too.

Step Two: Put the onions in the slow-cooker.  'Nough said.

Step Three: Coat the onions with olive oil.  Using a wooden spoon or turner, break apart the layers of onions and mix the pieces around until the onions are coated with oil.

Step Four: Leave them alone.  Leave the onions in the crock-pot on high overnight. If you have a huge load (three or more onions) it is a good idea, but not necessary, to stir the onions when they are 1/2 to 3/4 of the way done, to allow them to cook more evenly. They are great without doing this though.

And don't forget! The onions are going to shrink quite a bit. They will end up looking like this when they are done:

Step Five: Add greens.  Chop or rip the greens into bite-size bits. I say "greens" instead of something more specific because I feel like it doesn't really matter! I have used chard before with great results, and today I used a combination dandelion greens, spinach, and pea spouts. Pick what greens you have sitting around and toss them in!

Step Six: Add the rest.  A dollop of molasses, and two shakes of cayenne. Stir it all up together.

Step Seven: Let cook until greens are soft.  Can be served immediately, and tastes great cold if you want to save some for later.

Enjoy! Thank me later for teaching you this amazingly easy and OH.MY.GODDESS.IT.IS.SO.DELICIOUS recipe.