Mastering Onions : Tips and Tricks for Perfection

Onions are absolutely one of the most delicious and flexible commodities you use in the kitchen. From savory steaming soups to satisfying homemade salsa, onions play an important part in our daily cooking.

Versatility in Cooking

Flavorful appetizers from onion dips to salad dressing, main course casseroles, even the onion focaccia bread accompaniment for dinner.

Buying Onions

Buying onions is a simple task. Look for dry, papery skins with no soft spots. You should also notice the absence of any strong odor. A good dry onion will have very little to no smell to it at all. If it has a strong onion odor the onion has already begun to turn bad.

Varieties of Onions

Varieties of onion include, Vidalia, Texas 1015, Red, Green, the Walla Walla from Washington and Maui from Hawaii. Sweet onions such as Vidalia and Walla Walla are mellow enough to eat raw, but they are excellent “baked” on the grill and served with grilled steaks or burgers. Try them in the oven too.

Caramelizing Onions

Caramelizing onions during cooking will give a rich sweetness to recipes, enhancing kitchen aromas and have everyone asking, “What’s for dinner?” Followed shortly by fabulous, superb and perfection.

Storing Onions

Captn Salsa has an almost comical way of storing onions, but it really works.

Grab an old pair of your wife’s panty hose, cut off the legs. Now you simply drop an onion down into the leg of the hose and tie a knot directly above the onion. Repeat this process until each onion is secured and hang the hose in a cool dry, well-ventilated space, out of direct sunlight.

To remove the onion, simply cut the hose with a pair of scissors right below the knot and the onion easily falls out. You should be able to keep your onions for about three months.

Removing Onion Smell

Kosher salt is one of the best things to use to remove the smell of the onion from your hands. Wash your hands using a little dishwashing soap, water and about a teaspoon full of salt. Any salt will do, I just like the coarse texture of the kosher salt. Rinse your hands and repeat if necessary.

Avoiding Tears

Tears when you chop those onions?

How do you get rid of the tears? Here are a few simple suggestions to ease your pain.

You can place the onion in the refrigerator for about thirty minutes prior to chopping or if you are in a hurry toss them in the freezer for about four to five minutes. The cold will tone down the sulfur compound in the juice of the onion. In addition, be sure to use the sharpest knife possible to expedite your chopping chores.