Stewed Onion Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Peel and cube potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces so they cook evenly. Peel and thinly slice onions into half-moons. Clean and trim the leek, slice thinly and rinse well to remove grit. Mince garlic.

In a large heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted and foam subsides, add the sliced onions and a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and starting to turn translucent, about 8–10 minutes.

Add the sliced leek and minced garlic to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring, until the leek softens and becomes fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Do not let garlic brown.

Add the cubed potatoes to the pan and stir to coat with butter and oil. Cook for 2–3 minutes to lightly toast the potato edges.

Pour in the stock and, if needed, up to 1 cup water so the liquid comes about halfway up the potatoes (use only enough liquid to cover roughly half the veggies so finished texture is stewy, not soupy). Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.

Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partially with a lid (leave a small gap for steam to escape) and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15–20 minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking to prevent sticking and check liquid level; add splashes of water if the pan dries out.

Once potatoes are tender, remove the lid, increase heat to medium-low and continue to cook uncovered for 2–3 minutes to thicken the stew and concentrate flavors. Taste and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. If onions or capers taste very sharp, add up to 1 tsp sugar to balance acidity.

Stir in the chopped capers, lemon juice, and most of the chopped parsley, reserving a little parsley for garnish. Cook for 1 minute to warm the capers and meld flavors.

Remove from heat. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon the stewed onion mixture into a serving dish and sprinkle the remaining parsley over the top as garnish. Serve warm as a side or atop grilled fish or toasted bread.