Onions are seen as such a basic ingredient that we seldom give them very much thought. But what could be more delicious than the smell of red onions gently frying in olive oil, or the crunch of fresh spring onions in a creamy potato salad?
Without onions, our cooking would be very dull, and now they’re in season once again it’s time to take a look at this humble but potent vegetable.
One of the oldest known cooking ingredients, the onion is used in almost all world cuisines and has many distinct varieties, with flavours ranging from sharp and piquant to deliciously sweet. A range of health benefits from immune-boosting properties to cancer-fighting compounds have been attributed to onions, and there’s no denying that their fiery taste gives the body a warming glow. Most are well-adapted to the British climate, so at this time of year you can find onions at their tastiest at Farmers’ markets, in shops or in your weekly veggie box.
Know your onions
Since we’re so used to making do with the scraggy, unappetising onions sold in bulk at supermarkets, identifying good quality onions can be tricky. But the trick is to find firm, dense onions with a thin, papery skin. With their many colours and shapes, onions can be really quite beautiful.
The most common onion used in cooking is the familiar brown onion, but now is a good time to experiment with other varieties: the smaller shallots have a more concentrated flavour, while white onions – which are larger and paler than the standard brown sort – have the strongest flavours. Red onions differ in their higher antioxidant content, leading some to recommend it as a cancer-fighting superfood – while their flavour is subtly different, they can be substituted for brown onions in most cases. The crispier, elongated salad onion is a spring favourite, coming into season later on in March.
Onion recipes
During ‘onion season’, why not make onions the star of the show at your next meal? Onion soup is a delicious and warming winter treat that’s really easy to make as long as you’ve got enough onions handy! If you like the unique sweetness of onions, buy some plump juicy ones to make spiced onion jam, and caramelised onion is a multi-purpose relish that’s particularly fab when eaten with goat’s cheese. Sweet, seasonal onions work well when used liberally in a cheese quiche, and onion tart makes a delicious main course.
Image: Margot Wolfs
