Cooking Tip For Onions and Garlic -- Nana's Secret to Great Flavor, If You Know How

Onions and garlic always add great flavor to most meals. But let me share with you a cooking technique on preparing them that will really enhance the flavor of your dishes. Your guests will rave about your cooking.

Many dishes call for onions and garlic in their recipes. You chop them up, saute them for 3 minutes
and you are done. This is where, in my opinion, they miss the flavor boat.

When I was younger I would watch my husband's Italian Nana, cook spaghetti sauce and a number of other dishes and you know what she would do? She would always, finely chop the onion and slowly
saute them in olive oil for about 35 to 40 minutes. It was a fairly slow process, because she would tend to
the onions, stirring them frequently as they slowly cooked. Eventually the onion would cook down (to almost half of what she started with) and turn a nice golden brown.

When the onion was about done Nana would add fresh minced garlic and saute the whole mixture another
4 or 5 minutes. The aroma was wonderful. Her spaghetti sauce was incredible and this is why I
believe her dishes were so delicious.

So I started using this technique every time I made a dish that called for onion and garlic. You know what? Every time I sauteed the onion slowly in olive oil my dishes were more flavorful. Special if you will.

So now I use this little technique every time I make spaghetti sauce, casseroles, beef stroganoff,
taco soup and any other dish that calls for onion and garlic.

Once I made a Pampered Chef casserole with egg, zucchini, onion and garlic and used my little technique.
Well let me tell you, that dish disappeared fast with many requests for the recipe. When I made this dish previously without using my onion technique the dish was nothing special.

So if you have the time, and I believe it is definitely worth it, try Nana's tip. One thing to keep in
mind is that the onion cooks down to just about half of what you start with. So use double the amount of
onion that the recipe calls for. Don't worry if it looks like way to much onion. Once it cooks down, the
amount will be just right.

Again, here is all there is to it:

Finely chop up the amount of onion you will need. Pour olive oil into a frying pan. Be generous here.
There is no set amount. Say 3 or 4 tablespoons for one onion. Turn the heat on to medium high. Add the onion stirring frequently, until it is reduced by 1/3 to 1/2. If the onion appears to be cooking too fast, turn the temperature down to low. Just make sure the onion doesn't burn.

When you think it's done, after 35 to 40 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook an additional 4 or 5 minutes.
You are going to love the flavor.

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Robin Gai is a previous restaurateur and the webmaster of http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com. If you enjoy Mexican food be sure to stop by to find some delicious Mexican recipes.