French Onion Dip Recipe

Prepare shallot

Peel the Torpedo shallots and finely mince 2 units (or use small shallots). Place minced shallot into a small bowl with the minced garlic and cover with cold water. Let soak 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. This reduces sharpness and prevents watery dip.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine 2 cups crème fraîche, 1 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup sour cream. Whisk until smooth and homogenous.

Add the drained minced shallot and minced garlic to the bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives.

Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add up to another 1/2 teaspoon salt or an extra 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice if needed.

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow flavors to meld. If short on time, refrigerate at least 30–60 minutes.

Thinly slice the 2 Torpedo shallots for the garnish (separate from the minced shallots used in the dip).

Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and allow to melt and foam without browning.

Add the sliced shallots in an even layer, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Cook slowly, stirring every 2–3 minutes, until the shallots are golden-brown and deeply caramelized, about 12–18 minutes. Reduce the heat if they brown too quickly.

Once caramelized, deglaze the pan with 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, scraping up any browned bits; cook 30 seconds more then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the caramelized shallots for garnish and fold the remaining cooled shallots gently into the chilled dip to add texture and sweetness (optional — you can keep all caramelized shallots for topping if you prefer a clean dip base).

Spoon the chilled dip into a shallow serving bowl. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.

Scatter the reserved caramelized shallots over the top of the dip and sprinkle with the extra snipped chives (about 1 tablespoon) for color.

Arrange 12 oz of Idaho potato chips on a platter around the bowl or serve chips in a separate bowl. Serve immediately and keep refrigerated between servings; consume within 3 days.