Roasted Onion and Bacon Dip

I am a HUGE sports fan, so even though my Patriots won’t be playing in next Sunday’s Super Bowl, you can bet I’ll still be watching the big game. Besides, it’s an excuse to have a party with friends and eat yummy food, and who doesn’t love that? I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to narrow down the list of possible menu items and to be honest, it’s tough! Our party will likely be quite small this year, so I can’t justify making enough food to feed a small army 🙂 Dips are an easy, make-ahead option, and given my love of both onions and bacon, this recipe rose to the top of my list quickly.

Often when I decide to make a recipe from a cookbook or magazine I’ll search the internet before starting to see if other bloggers have tried it, and find out what they thought.  I had my heart set on trying this roasted onion and bacon dip from Cook’s Illustrated so I crossed my fingers hoping I wouldn’t come across countless bloggers who weren’t fans, which would definitely have had me thinking twice about my selection.  When I discovered that Bridget (who, like me, is a giant Cook’s Illustrated fan) had adapted it and enjoyed it, well, it was a no-brainer.  The dip starts with onions which are roasted in the oven instead of being caramelized on top of the stove.  This shortens the amount of hands-on time required while still delivering the flavor of caramelized onions.  While the onions roast you’ll have time to cook a few strips of bacon which you can crumble and add to the dip as well.  Caramelized onions are pretty awesome on their own, but the smoky bacon is the icing on the cake here!  I highly recommend making this dip at least a day before you want to serve it; I thought it was considerably better on day 2 after the flavors had melded. 

This week I’ll be sharing several new recipes I think would be perfect for your Super Bowl party.  In the meantime, I dug through the archives and came up with a number of my old favorites that would also be great additions to your menu.  Enjoy!

Soft Pretzel Bites
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Twice-Baked Potato Cups
No Bake Peanut Butter Squares
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies
Caramel Corn
Baked Potato Soup
Turkey Chili
Turtle Brownies

Roasted Onion and Bacon Dip
as adapted from Cook’s Illustrated by The Way the Cookie Crumbles

3 medium yellow onions, unpeeled
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
6 slices bacon
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper

Cook the bacon until crisp in a skillet on the stove top.  Crumble the strips and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 F with a rack in the lowest position.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat the foil with the olive oil.  Cut the onions crosswise (through their centers, not lengthwise through the root).  Using a small paring knife, cut two small X’s near the end of each onion half (this helps keep the onion rings level while they cook).  Place the onions cut side down on the prepared baking sheet.  Roast until dark brown around bottom edge and tender when pierced with the tip of your paring knife, about 30 minutes.  Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and allow the onions to rest for 5 minutes before lifting them off of the pan.  Once have onions have cooled, peel and finely chop them.

Add all of the ingredients (including the onions and bacon) to a medium bowl and mix well to combine  You can serve immediately though I recommend covering and chilling in the fridge overnight.