Onions are one of the most common staple ingredients not only across dishes, but across cultures. You can find interesting facts about onions here.
Believe it or not, Guest Posting, I actually hate onions in my food. Whenever I detect the sharp and pungent taste of onions in my food, I cringe a bit and slowly go through my food, trying to avoid onions at all costs. So why am I writing an article about them? As it turns out, I'm alone in my opinion of onions...and the rest of you Americans and world-class citizens love bulbous weirdness. So who am I to deny you an onion education - we wouldn't want you to cry over onions, would we? But you already have.
So here is my onion tutorial. I hope you find it useful as we go over some of its history, some interesting facts and of course – the best of the best onion recipes.
The National Onion Association classifies onions into two categories: spring/summer fresh onions and fall/winter storage varieties. These fresher onions are available from April to August, while dryer storage onions appear more often from August to April. Both come in red, white and yellow forms, but the spring/summer onion is said to be sweeter, moister and milder. Therefore, it is used in sweeter dishes, the autumn/winter type is used for savory dishes.
The most common onion is the yellow onion. Not only is the majority of American onion production focused on yellow onions, but their full flavor lends itself to a wide variety of cooking, most prominently French onion soup. According to the National Onion Association, red onions are more commonly used in salads and other fresh uses or for grilling or barbecuing. White onions appear quite a bit in Mexican cuisine and have a sweet flavor when sautéed. Others argue All these varieties range in size - from 1 inch to 4.5 inches in diameter. For a more specific guide to different onion varieties including Visalia, Wall a and Texas.
"Onions should be firm and heavy for their size. Avoid onions that have sprouted or are foul-smelling, or that have green or moldy spots," says Cooks Thesaurus, which offers some helpful advice on buying and cooking onions.
Another way to classify an onion is by its type: onion, multiplier (derivative of bulb onion), or tree onion. The most common form is the bulb, which includes sweet onions like Visalia and all the colorful varieties we've just discussed. But if you noticed
The largest onion producer in 2005 was China, followed by India, followed by the United States, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The third-largest producer of onions, the Americans harvested 3.3 million tons of onions in 2005.
Why do onions make us cry?
You must have noticed that when you cut a raw onion, your eyes start to water. A common problem for any onion slicer happens because of the enzymes in the onion. As the onion is sliced, the cells are broken - allowing the enzymes to be released. Enzymes in onions are alliances, and they react to the sulfides in the onion chopping environment to form sulfuric acid gas. This gas is immediately folds and release into the air, so it gets into your eyes. The nerve endings of our eyes are irritating by sulfuric acid, which causes uncontrollable "crying".
Thesaurus chefs recommend chilling the onion first to prevent it from tearing. "If you tend to cry when cutting onions, try cooling them first and then peeling them under running water. Always cook onions over low to medium heat, as they become bitter at high temperatures."
Onion recipes worth crying about
Onions appear in all kinds of dishes, from appetizers and soups to desserts. They are one of the most used ingredients not only in dishes, but also in cultural cuisine. Here are some recipes worth trying:
Recipes that focus on onions:
Tandoori Onion Salad Onions Au Gratin Caramelized Red Peppers and Onions French Onion Soup Roasted Onions Baked Onion Pie Onion Bhaji Indian Pickled Onions Tomato and Onion Salad with Tahini Dressing Onion Rings
Recipes that use onions as a side dish: Onion Meatball Dinner Baked Artichokes with Onion and Bacon Grilled Sirloin and Red Onion with Blue Cheese Butter Onion Chicken Breast Cranberry Onion Roast Pork Grilled Sausage with Onion and Onion Fettuccine Corn and Onion Casserole
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