Caramelized Onions: Add oil and butter to a large non stick pan over medium heat, then add in onions. Fry for around 15mins, or until they start to soften. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Turn heat to low-medium then continue frying until they start to naturally caramelize and turn golden (another 10-15mins). Add in balsamic vinegar & brown sugar, turn to low heat and continue frying until soft, deep golden and sticky (15mins+). Don't let then catch on the pan and go crisp at any point, low and slow is the aim of the game here. If they brown at any point just lower the heat (see notes).
Grilled Cheese: Wipe out pan and add two slices of bread with the heat OFF. Spread with butter then flip so they're butter-side-down. Add 3 wedges of brie each (or enough to cover), top with a dollop of onions and finish with a few pinches of fresh thyme (optional).
Fry: Top each with another slice of bread and spread with butter. Turn heat to a medium and fry both sides until golden, with the brie just starting to spill out. Repeat with second batch and enjoy!
Quick Demo
Notes
a) Caramelized Onions - Caramelizing onions is a labour of love, so don't rush the process. You need to gently fry low and slow to draw out the natural sugar in the onions. I recommend making a big batch in advance to make it worth your time, for all the extra tips and tricks visit my full post on Caramelizing Onions!b) Can I sub Camembert? - Camembert does have a more pungent flavour than brie, but if you know you like it then for all intents and purposes it'll work just as well as brie!c) What other Brie combos can I make? - You can sub the onions with any sort of jam or chutney that goes nicely with brie (cranberry sauce works amazingly, as does blackberry jam). You can also add bacon to balance out the flavours with some saltiness. d) Calories - per sandwich, assuming 8 tsp salted butter is used to spread sandwich (one tsp per side).
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
*Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.