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Enjoy this story from our archive, originally sent to TT members on .

Peel the Onion

Onions get the dip

We're not ones to say no to a good dip, as evidenced here, here and most recently here. But let's face it, there's a high demand for quality dips this time of year and we're all for versatility. So when Kevin Johnson, the executive chef and owner of The Grocery in Charleston, South Carolina, offered his recipe for charred-onion dip, the phantom potato chip in our hand started twitching. Johnson's recipe combines caramelized onions with a creamy quartet of buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise and cream cheese. Balanced with acidic sherry vinegar, each of the rich additions contributes its own flavor, which results in a multifaceted spread that requires only a simple potato chip for proper dip delivery.

Charred-Onion Dip

Recipe adapted from Kevin Johnson, The Grocery, Charleston, SC

Yield: 2 1/2 cups


Cook Time: 1 hour

  • INGREDIENTS
  • 2 medium yellow onions (about 1¼ pounds), thinly sliced

    3 tablespoons unsalted butter

    3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves removed and finely chopped

    ¼ cup full-fat buttermilk

    ½ cup sour cream

    ¼ cup mayonnaise

    ¼ cup cream cheese

    1½ tablespoons sherry vinegar

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper

    Salted kettle chips, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, combine the onions, butter and thyme. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelized and golden brown, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.

2. In a blender, combine the cooled onions and buttermilk and purée until smooth. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese and sherry vinegar and purée until very smooth. Season with salt and pepper and serve with chips.

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About The Chef

Kevin Johnson is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, S.C. He has worked at the Inn at Little Washington in northern Virginia and Anson Restaurant, Taco Boy, Closed for Business, Poe's Tavern, and Monza in Charleston. He has also been an Adjunct Chef Instructor at the Culinary Institute of Charleston since fall 2010. Johnson opened the Grocery in December 2011.

The Grocery, 4 Cannon St., Charleston, SC; 843-302-8825 or thegrocerycharleston.com

Visit The Grocery's Website

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