Caramelized onions help cut fat

Say this about the humble onion: It's low on calories and big on flavor.

Served raw, the onion's pungent flavor can be overwhelming for some, and heaven for others. But a chopped onion cooked slowly so that its sugars caramelize — just about everyone agrees that's a winner.

Call caramelized onions into service when you want to cut the fat in a dish. The end result is likely to be so tasty you won't notice what is missing. Use them alone on top of meats or vegetables, or puree with other ingredients to make a dressing or sauce.

Caramelizing onions is easy. For a recipe such as this, just about any onion will work, though the chefs at Cook's Illustrated magazine say white and Vidalia are best for getting a sweet, mellow flavor, while Spanish onions produce less sweetness and more pungency.

To caramelize onions, thinly slice them and combine them with a bit of fat, such as olive oil. Saute them over low heat, for about an hour.

To speed it up, increase the heat and add a splash of cider vinegar or a tablespoon or two of sugar. If time really is too tight, many grocers sell jars of prepared caramelized onions.

In this recipe for spinach salad with chicken, the onions are combined with ginger and vinegar to create a wonderfully sharp and creamy taste. For speed, this recipe calls for only a brief browning of the onions, but you can let them go longer if you'd like to develop more flavor.

The dressing gets a boost by caramelizing the onion in the same pan as the chicken was cooked in. This deglazes the pan, removing the tasty browned bits left behind by the meat.

Because the dressing is pureed in a blender or food processor, the soft onions emulsify and bind the ingredients together, so only a minimal amount of oil is needed.

Substitute slices of apple or pear for the orange if you prefer.

SPINACH SALAD WITH CHICKEN AND CARAMELIZED ONION DRESSING

Start to finish: 35

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pound thinly sliced boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil