Our shopping lists always seem to include some sort of allium, be it onions, scallions, garlic, shallots, chives, or leeks. Wikipedia explains that, “… Allium is the Latin word for garlic, and the type species for the genus is Allium sativum which means cultivated garlic." Around our house, we use a lot of this species!
Yellow, Brown, Red, Spanish, or Sweet Onions
You may notice that some recipes specify which of the major types of onions to use. What we typically call an onion is known as a “storage onion” by those in the trade. These break down into: white, yellow, red, Spanish, and sweet.
Brown or yellow onions are the most popular for everyday cooking. Red onions are most often used raw or pickled in dishes and these caramelize beautifully when grilled. White onions are the standard for Mexican recipes. Sweet onions include Vidalia, Walla Walla, and Bermuda and seem to be rising in popularity.
We love having a jar of pickled red onions on hand to add to salads and sandwiches. This can be a simple, quick pickle that you make by bringing a cup of vinegar, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, and a tablespoon of salt to a boil until everything is dissolved. Then pour it over sliced or diced red onions and refrigerate.
In early summer, we may be able to buy what are called spring or summer onions from our local farmers. These have larger bulbs than scallions. They are the same ones the farmer will harvest and dry later in the season.
Other Alliums
Most plants selected to grow scallions never form bulbs. Scallions are perhaps our favorite allium. We always have these on hand, but have a split opinion on the best part of this vegetable.
Ed likes the white bulb and will happily chomp up any pieces that Penny decided not to use in a dish. Penny loves the green section and will sprinkle them on many of the plates coming out of our kitchen. She’ll put more of the white on Ed’s plate and lots of the green on hers.
Shallots and garlic are among the first additions to many a pan on our stove. We also use finely minced shallots and crushed garlic as the start of most vinaigrettes. We’ll add the acid to these early in the salad making process. A few minutes of marinating seems to gentle and round out the flavor. Leeks are essential additions to our stock pots and are wonderful as one of the vegetables at the bottom of a roasting pan that will hold up and flavor a chicken, beef, or pork roast.
Nutrition
Who knew alliums were so good for you? Perhaps anyone who lived through the Great Depression and still enjoys the occasional raw onion sandwich that was part of their diet in those days.
In her book "Vegetable Literacy
"Strong-tasting onions are the ones that prevent blood clotting, lower the heart rate, benefit the stomach, and provide us with a long list of vitamins (including B, C, and E), minerals (phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur, and even traces of copper), and disease-fighting quercetin in amounts that far exceed those found in other extremely good-for-you vegetables. And the really good news is that the benefits remain even after the onions have been cooked, although it appears that they may be more effective when eaten raw."
Raw, grilled, sautéd, braised, sliced, chopped, smashed, or pickled, we love them all!
Related Posts:
Cook's Treasure: Sautéed Onions and Garlic
It's Great to Have Pickled Red Onion on Hand. My Two-Ingredient Method and Tips for Enjoying Your Treasure
A Follow-Up on Our Pickled Red Onion Post
What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2015-2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino
(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)