Älplermagronen

I remember feeling extremely skeptical the first time a plate of this traditional Swiss mountain food was placed in front of me. It just seemed like a confused mess of carbohydrates and grated cheese. I totally discounted the heavily caramelized onions.

In retrospect, I guess my reaction was a total insult to my partner (now wife). It was also a major error in judgment.

The humble ingredients worked marvelously together to form a satisfying and rich plate of food. And those onions…well, they made the dish irresistible. The sweetness of the onions and their slightly crunchy texture acted like the

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I remember feeling extremely skeptical the first time a plate of this traditional Swiss mountain food was placed in front of me. It just seemed like a confused mess of carbohydrates and grated cheese. I totally discounted the heavily caramelized onions.

In retrospect, I guess my reaction was a total insult to my partner (now wife). It was also a major error in judgment.

The humble ingredients worked marvelously together to form a satisfying and rich plate of food. And those onions…well, they made the dish irresistible. The sweetness of the onions and their slightly crunchy texture acted like the perfect seasoning to balance the rich load of carbs. Every mouthful was an unexpected explosion of flavor.

Be sure to allow enough time to carefully caramelize the onions – the process will take about 30-45 minutes and is extremely important to the success of this recipe. Serve with a small bowl of apple sauce on the side – it seems strange but like the onions, the apples supply acidity and a certain refreshing break that act as a sort of seasoning. Try it…and I hope you take the time to make your own apple sauce.

Difficulty: simple- to moderate
Yield: makes about 6-8 servings