The wonderful, fragrant, and versatile onion family

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Vidalia Onions

The wonderful, fragrant, and versatile onion family

FROM strong to sweet, scallions to leeks, knowing which members of the onion family to use when is a key to great cuisines around the world.

Scallions: Immature yellow onions, scallions are also known as green onions or salad onions, doubtless because of their mild flavor makes them an excellent choice to use raw for salads and garnishes. They’re good in stir-fries, mixed into egg dishes and can even be grilled. Use any part of the scallion that’s not tired and limp

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Leeks: Once known as the poor man’s asparagus, leeks are – alas – inexpensive no more. The flavor of leeks is soft and sweet. They’re excellent sauteed and in soups, and leeks are the key ingredient in classic vichyssoise. Raw, they can be used as a garnish. Clean thoroughly – as they tend to trap dirt and sand.

Shallots: Perhaps, the most refined member of the onion family, shallots have a flavor somewhere between an onion and garlic. Shallots grow in pairs of lobes, each with one flattish side. They are traditionally used in sauces, as in the classic bearnaise, and are excellent in vinaigrettes.

Yellow Onions: The most common type, yellow onions account for about three-quarters of the world’s onion output. Yellow onions are versatile – they are good in everything from soups to chili and stews. They start out pungent but become sweet as they’re cooked.

Sweet Onions: Including the Maui, Walla Walla and Vidalia onion, sweet onions are prized for just that – their sweetness. Good in salads, on sandwiches and for onion rings, sweet onions don’t store as well as other onions and should be used soon after purchasing. Try them stuffed and baked, too.

And still the market is flooded with onions of all varieties. Since we are on onions, (pun intended) we will give you 2 onion soup recipes, one vegetarian and one the classic one. The first is the classic French soup, and the second the vegetarian version.

French Onion Soup Recipe

(Non-vegetarian)

The trick to a great French onion soup is starting with good stock. French onion soup is usually made with beef stock. I’ve made delicious soup with stock from the leftover rib and chine bones of a rib roast. Another important element is the proper caramelization of the onions. Caramelizing onions take at least thirty minutes of slow cooking the onions over medium high heat. The browning, or caramelizing, of the onions brings out the sweetness in them.

• Prep time: 10 minutes

• Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 large red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced.

• Olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 8 cups of beef stock, chicken stock, or a combination of the two (traditionally the soup is made with beef stock)

• 1/2 cup of dry vermouth or dry white wine

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme

• Salt and pepper

• 8 slices of toasted French bread

• 1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization.

2. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

3. To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately

Best French Onion Soup (Vegetarian)

The key to great onion soup is to cook the onions until they are completely caramelized: sweet, soft and dark golden brown. Traditional recipes call for beef or chicken stock, but you can make an excellent onion soup using well-seasoned vegetable broth (if using cubes, use 6 cubes with 6 cups water). Finish with a flourish of bubbly cheese, floating on a layer of French bread, and you’ll have a soup that’s rich and hearty enough to be a meal.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. butter

• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil

• 7 to 8 cups halved and thinly sliced onions (about 5 large)

• 1 tsp. sugar

• 1 tsp. salt

• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

• 1/3 cup dry sherry

• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

• 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

• 10 to 12 oz. shredded Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese

Method:

1. In large, heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil over medium heat. Stir in onions, sugar, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Reduce heat, cover and cook 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook 15 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add remaining butter to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and very soft, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir in flour and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth, sherry, thyme, salt to taste and pepper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, adding more salt if needed.

3. Preheat broiler. Lightly toast bread slices. Ladle soup into 6 ovenproof bowls or crocks and arrange on baking sheet. Put enough bread on top of each serving—cutting and fitting if necessary—to cover soup. Sprinkle bread with shredded cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve hot.

www.vegetarlantimes.com

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on June 06, 2012.

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