Onions

Published in

culinaryclubiitr

10 min readAug 30, 2021

Onion is a vegetable that belongs to the Allium family, which also includes garlic, leeks and chives. It is used since 5000 BC, for its flavour and durability in storage and transport.
Onions have several potential health benefits. Being a good source of vitamin C and B6, onions can help in maintaining skin and hair health. In addition to this, they can also help in improving mood. Moreover, they also contain trace amounts of calcium, iron, folate, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and anti-oxidants. Since they are nutrient-dense and low in calories,
Adding onions to food is a good way to enhance the flavour of the dish.

VARIETIES

Onions vary in size, shape and colour. Depending on the type, their taste can vary from sweet and juicy to sharp and pungent. There are mainly 7 categories into which onions can be classified.

Red Onions

Due to their bright reddish-purple skin, red onions are used to add colour and enhance the appearance of the dish. They have a sharp flavour but can be eaten raw or in salads and sandwiches. By chilling them in ice water for about 20 minutes, their flavour can be made mild.

Yellow Onions

Yellow onions have a heavy, brown parchment skin, white flesh and a pungent flavour and aroma. They are the most popular cooking onions as they can add excellent flavour to stews, soups and meat dishes. They are most commonly used to prepare French onion soup.

White Onions

Named for their thin and papery white skin and flesh, white onions are relatively milder than yellow onions. They have a tangy flavour and are mainly used in Latin and Central American dishes. They are the most common choice while preparing salsa and guacamole.

Sweet Onions

Also known as summer onions, sweet onions stand out from all other varieties because of their sweet taste. They are larger and slightly flatter than yellow onions and have lighter coloured skin. They are an ideal choice to make onion rings and are also good for caramelizing.

Pearl Onions

Pearl onions are small and have a sweet, delicate flavour. They are creamed, roasted, grilled, glazed or pickled and usually served as a whole as an accompaniment

Shallots

Shallots are small, brown-skinned onions with a pungent odour. They resemble garlic in their appearance and taste. They can be minced finely and used in salad dressings and sauces. They are popularly used in Southeast Asian cuisine.

Scallions

Also known as green onions or spring onions. scallions are young onions with a white bulb and long, green stalks. Both white and green parts are used in cooking. Because of their mild flavour, they can be eaten raw or slightly cooked. They are an important ingredient in Chinese, Korean and Mexican cuisine. Cooked scallions are usually used in stir-frys and are added in the end so that they remain crisp.

STORAGE

Onions should be stored in cool, dry, well-ventilated locations at room temperature. In this environment, they have a shelf life of 3–4 weeks. They can absorb odour from fruits and moisture from vegetables stored around them, which can cause their decay. However, due to greater water and sugar content, sweet onions have a shelf life of 1–2 weeks. The shelf life of sweet onions can be increased to 1 month by storing them in a refrigerator.

CHOPPING AN ONION

The way you chop an onion affects its flavour. Slicing an onion through the middle, that is, against the grain causes greater disruption and release of more compounds, thus, imparting a stronger and more pungent taste. Cutting it end to end leads to a less intense flavour.

CARAMELISED ONIONS

Caramelizing onions can transform them from raw and pungent to silky and brown. Caramelized onions have a sweetly savoury flavour and a fine texture. They can be used anywhere- soups, dips, burgers, pasta, hotdogs and sandwiches.

Method

1. To make ½ cup of caramelized onions, we require 2 onions, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and salt.

2. Halve both onions through the root end and thinly slice them lengthwise, starting at one side and working all the way to the other.

3. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium until melted

4. Instead of dumping in all of the onions at once, which would fill the pot and make it hard to stir (which would then cause the ones on the bottom to cook faster), start by adding just a couple of large handfuls to the pot. Cook, stirring until onions are soft and starting to turn translucent, 1–2 minutes. Stir in a few more handfuls of onion and repeat the cooking and stirring process until you’ve added all the onions. Season with a pinch of salt.

5. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook onions, stirring every few minutes to prevent them from sticking and colouring too much in any one place, until blonde-coloured, 15–20 minutes.

6. If you’re going for onions that are both softer and more caramelized keep cooking, stirring on the regular, until onions are unmistakably golden brown, another 15–20 minutes.

7. For extra-dark onions, the kind that makes a great burger topping, cook until they start to almost blacken around the edges and go slightly crisp, another 10–15 minutes. This requires constant attention so they don’t burn

8. Let onions cool in the saucepan, then use or transfer to an airtight container and chill. They will keep up to 1 week.

PICKLED ONIONS

Pickled onions are simple to make and can bring a tangy brightness to any dish. They can be used in salads or as a topping for tacos and sandwiches.

Method

1. Thinly slice a red onion or take a pearl onion and place it in a pickling liquid of vinegar, salt and sugar.

2. Let this mixture sit for 1 hour. As the onions sit in the pickling liquid, they gradually break down, take on the flavours of the liquid, and turn a bright pink colour.

3. After they’re pickled, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

RECIPES USING ONIONS

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

For the caramelized onions

· 2 tablespoons butter

· 3 pounds yellow onions (5 medium)

· 1 teaspoon kosher salt

· ½ cup dry sherry (or white wine)

· 1 tablespoon flour

For the soup

· 2 tablespoons butter

· 8 ounces of mushrooms

· 1 carrot

· 2 celery ribs

· 6 garlic cloves

· 9 cups water, divided

· 2 tablespoons tomato paste

· 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder

· 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (purchased or use this substitute)

· 2 teaspoons kosher salt

· 6 slices Swiss or Gruyere cheese (or shredded)

· 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

· 6 large or 12 small slices of bread, sliced about 1/2” thick

Method

1. Caramelize the onions: Thinly slice the onions about 1/8-inch thick (we used a French cut by slicing stem to root; go to minute 1:40 of the linked video for a tutorial). In a soup pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and just starting to brown on the bottom. Reduce to medium-low heat and stir in the kosher salt. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes and adjusting the heat so they continue to cook slowly without burning. The onions will change from raw to golden to light brown to very dark brown and reduce in volume by about 1/4. (Make-ahead tip: Make the caramelized onions in advance and refrigerate until ready to make the soup. Reheat in a pan and go to step 3.)

2. Meanwhile, make the homemade broth: Slice the mushrooms. Wash and cut the carrot in half length-wise, then into large chunks. Cut the celery into large pieces. Smash and peel the garlic. In a second pot, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add 8 cups water, kosher salt, vegetables, tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Make the broth in advance and refrigerate until serving. Then warm before proceeding to Step 3.)

3. Simmer the soup: When onions are very reduced and dark brown, stir in the sherry and deglaze the pan by scrape all the bits off the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the onions are coated. Strain the homemade broth into the onions (discarding the vegetables). Add the remaining 1 cup water and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Broil the topping: Place the soup into 6 oven-safe small bowls or ramekins. Preheat a broiler to high or an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Top with bread slices (about 1/2-inch thick), 1 slice Swiss or Gruyere cheese, and 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan per bowl. Broil 1 to 3 minutes (or bake for 20 minutes) until the cheese is melted and browned. Place on a plate and serve immediately, taking care since the bowls are very hot.

Sautéed Mushrooms and Onions

Ingredients

· 500 grams of mushrooms

· 1 yellow onion

· 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter

· 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

· 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

· ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

· Fresh ground black pepper

Method

1. Clean the mushrooms, then slice them. Slice the onion.

2. In a sauté pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion for 2 minutes, then mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often (the mushrooms will start to release their liquid). Add the kosher salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is cooked out and the mushrooms are tender (taste to assess doneness).

3. Add the lemon juice and stir, cooking another 30 seconds to 1 minute until evaporated. Taste and add a few pinches of salt until the flavour pops.

Caramelized Onion Dip

Ingredients

· ¼ cup olive oil

· 4 large white onions

· ¼ cup red wine

· ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt, plus more as needed

· 2 cups sour cream

· 1 cup Greek yoghurt

· 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

· Dash of freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Finely chop the onions. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown. Add the red wine and sauté until the wine is cooked off, about 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat, add the salt, and let cool.

2. Once cooled, transfer to a medium mixing bowl and fold in the sour cream, yoghurt, and soy sauce. Season with pepper and more salt, if needed. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Onion Rings

Ingredients

· 2 onions, sliced into 1cm/1/2in-thick rounds

· 400ml buttermilk

· 140g plain flour

· ½ tsp cayenne pepper

· vegetable oil, for deep-frying

· 50g cornflour

Method

1. Put the onions in a large bowl, pour over the buttermilk and cover with cling film. Leave to soak at room temperature for 30 mins to 1 hr.

2. Put 100g of the plain flour on a large plate and stir in the cayenne with a little seasoning. Drain the onion rings, then coat in the seasoned flour.

3. Half-fill a large saucepan with the oil and heat until it reaches 180C on a probe thermometer (or until a piece of bread crisps in 20–30 secs) or heat a deep fat fryer to 180C. Make the batter by combining the remaining plain flour with the cornflour and a pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre and pour in the lager. Stir to combine until smooth.

4. Dip each onion ring in the batter and fry for 3–4 mins or until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.

SOURCES

https://www.thespruceeats.com/uses-for-different-onion-types-4008831

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276714

https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/how-to-cut-onion-flavor

https://www.acouplecooks.com/best-onion-recipes/

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/caramelized-onions

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_caramelize_onions/

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/french-onion-soup

https://lundsandbyerlys.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LB0238-BL.jpg

https://www.freshpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/commodity-red-onion.jpg