Honey Fried Onions

Learning to be gluten free has been quite a journey, and one that we still travel on today. I am so glad of all the foods that are now available in a gluten free form. Years ago, there was nothing, and I found many sources to support myself as I learned to cook in a totally different way.

One support group I found was actually a Yahoo Group. It was a group about traditional cooking in an age of convenience foods, but I found a smaller group of people with food allergies within it. It was these people that gave me back my confidence in cooking, and came to me to rework their favorite recipes into an allergy free version.

This gluten free recipe came about as an attempt to recreate Durkee Fried Onions in a gluten free form. Who knew that fried onions needed gluten?! My attempt failed miserably, leaving my Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole without its normal topping.

In the process though, it formalized itself into a full fledged side dish, and stands alone on our plates now. A gluten free delicacy of epic proportions! Durkees Fried Onions have never been able to do that!

• Sweet Onions
• Water
• Unsalted Butter
• Raw Honey

I think cutting the onions is the most time consuming part of this recipe! I recommend using a mandolin ir slicer to do this job. It will cause less tears, and create more even slices, as well as making the job much quicker. As this is meant to be a side dish, using a sweet onion is best. So look for Walla-wallas, Vidalias, or Texas sweet onions.

Because the amount water used in this recipe is so small, I usually just use tap water. Although there is nothing wrong with using filtered water, or bottled water, if that is your choice. Depending on the quality of my local tap water, I might choose differently. Where we are currently living, there are few additions to the municipal water. They do not even add the chlorine and fluoride that is so commonly added across the country. I count it as a blessing since I am highly sensitive to chlorine, and usually have to filter it out of all our water.

We switched to unsalted butter several years ago. When we took out the gluten, our taste for sugar greatly decreased, and out taste buds seem to come back alive. The heavy saltiness of the standard salted butter in just unbearable to us now. The extra salt is probably not needed in anyone's diet, and there are healthier ways to get the salt that you do need, like celery.

Raw honey is honey that has not been heated in its processing. It is very easy to find online, or in your local health food store if you are unable to find a local source. A local source is always best, as the honey will provide you with a natural immunity to the allergens and germs of the area the bees live in! Cooked honey can also be used, but I find that cooked honey is too sweet, and I do not like the spike in blood sugar it creates.

1. Slice the onions into 1/4" to 1/2" slices, and separate the rings.
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan. We have used cast iron frying pans and plain "stick" frying pans to make this recipe. They both worked great. The pan will be ready when water drops dance across the surface (think: making pancakes).
3. Add your onion rings to the hot fry pan, and sauté until translucent. Once the onions have become almost see through, reduce the heat on the burner.
4. Add a few tablespoons of water, and drizzle the raw honey over the onion rings.
5. Cover and let simmer on extra low heat for about 10 minutes.
   This should create a slightly caramelized effect, but will also retain a liquid honey sauce to drizzle over the onion rings when served.
6. Remove the fry pan from the hot burner and keep covered until served.

This dish should be served immediately. It does NOT keep or travel well!
Don't worry about leftovers. We never have any!