buttered onion sauce

I don't know what it is. But I can't eat enough. I have just been eating, and eating, and eating. I mean sure, taking care of a baby is busy, but still. I have eaten the most calorific foods I can think of, and then I'm still hungry. I thought this dish would fill me up, and it certainly worked.

I suppose I should have included the calories burned while my mouth watered just thinking about it. It is absolutely one of my favourite pastas of all time, and that's saying something.

Think about it, it's onions simmered in copious amounts of butter for over an hour, and then doused with port. It's a take on a James Beard recipe, which called for madeira wine, and instead, port elevates it to a whole new scrumptious level.

While I could stop there, as it is an already a delicious accompaniment for pasta, or potatoes or meat for that matter, it seemed that it wasn't quite complete. Port is fabulously divine when paired with cheese, yes? And most especially any type of blue cheese. The same goes for a smattering of blue cheese chunks over the top to finish the dish off. Did it work? See for yourself.

Buttered Onion Sauce

4-6 medium yellow onions
1/2 pound butter
1/4 cup port wine
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp of blue cheese per serving
1 package bucatini pasta (I love it for the extra bite that it adds)

1. Thinly slice the onions, into half moons. (I hope you wear contact lenses to help with the tears).
2. Warm the butter in a medium-size sauce pan, and add the onions. Cook on a low flame for an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, until the onions are sumptuously soft, and virtually dissolve on the tongue. Add the port, and salt, and then simmer another 15 minutes before serving.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water (1-2 tbsp of coarse kosher salt) to a boil. Cook the pasta a minute less than the package directions. Drain the pasta.
4. Transfer the pasta to the beautiful buttered onions and stir thoroughly to combine.
5. Chop, or if you are feeling rustic, break some blue cheese into mini chunks.
6. Place a serving of pasta in a bowl, and dot with blue cheese. Serve with fresh ground pepper.