Hot Caramelized Onion Dip with Bacon and Gruyere

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cook bacon in a non-stick skillet on medium heat until crispy, then remove it from the skillet and set on paper towels to drain excess grease. Crumble when cool enough to handle.

Leave remaining grease in the skillet and add onions, sugar, and salt. Cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and cook slowly, stirring occasionally. The onions will eventually change to a deep brown color—be patient during this process as it can take 20 minutes or longer. Make sure that the onions don’ t burn. If they are cooking too rapidly, reduce the heat further.

Add the sherry and let it simmer for one minute. Add thyme and Tabasco and remove from heat.

Combine the sour cream and mayonnaise in a medium-sized bowl. Add the cheese, bacon crumbles, onion mixture, and black pepper. Pour into a 2-cup baking dish or similar size cast iron skillet. Bake for 20 minutes or until dip is golden brown and bubbly. Remove it from the oven and decrease oven temperature to 350 F.

Cut french bread into 1/2 inch slices, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh thyme. Put the slices on a baking tray in a single layer. Place in the preheated 350 F oven for approximately 8 minutes, Remove it from the oven and let it sit until cool enough to handle, then dip and enjoy!

Recipe from: SpicySouthernKitchen.com.