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]]>Sulfur Compounds
Sulfur compounds are the main reason that onions have such a strong and bitter taste when they aren’t cooked. However, all of that changes when the onions is exposed to intense heat.
Caramelization
Onions actually contain plenty of sugars, but they aren’t exactly sweet when they’re raw. The chemical reactions that occur when you start to cook an onion lead to something called caramelization, which makes those sugars much sweeter like we’re accustomed to.
Maillard Reaction
There’s also something called the Maillard reaction, which happens when the reduced sugars combine with amino acids. This reaction also creates a much deeper and richer flavor within the onion.
Softening The Onions
If all of that’s not enough, the cooking process also softens the onions, making them less rough and much more palatable for us. When you combine all of these factors together, a cooked onion becomes essentially a completely different element than it was before.
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]]>The Classic All-Rounder: Yellow Onion
With its golden-brown skin and pungent flavor, this variety is a kitchen staple. Yellow onions are versatile and work well in various dishes. From soups and stews to sautés and stir-fries, their robust flavor adds depth and complexity to your culinary creations.
Mild and Sweet: White Onion
If you’re looking for a milder onion flavor, the white onion is your go-to. With its white papery skin and slightly sweeter taste, this variety is ideal for dishes where you want a subtler onion presence. Use white onions raw in salads, salsas, or guacamole to add a fresh and crisp bite without overpowering other flavors.
Vibrant and Flavorful: Red Onion
When it comes to visual appeal, the red onion takes the crown. Its striking purple-red color adds a pop of vibrancy to any dish. Red onions have a mild to moderate flavor with a hint of sweetness. They are perfect for raw preparations like salads, sandwiches, or garnishes. Their attractive color and mild flavor make them a favorite in Mediterranean and Mexican cuisines.
Delicate and Subtle: Shallots
Shallots are the elegant cousins of onions, known for their delicate and slightly sweet taste. With their elongated shape and reddish-brown skin, they add a touch of sophistication to your dishes. Shallots shine when used in sauces, dressings, or dishes that require a subtle onion flavor. Sauté them to bring out their natural sweetness and create a rich base for your recipes.
Sharp and Spicy: Green Onion (Scallions)
Green onions, also known as scallions, offer a fresh and zesty twist to your dishes. With their long green stalks and white bulbs, they provide a milder onion flavor and a subtle hint of spiciness. Chop them up as a finishing touch for Asian stir-fries, sprinkle them over soups or omelets, or use them as a garnish for your favorite tacos and enchiladas.
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]]>The post 3 Salads to Make Using Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion appeared first on foodisinthehouse.com.
]]>Chopped Salad With Feta
This simple and delicious salad uses little more than our big three, except it adds some saltiness as well as protein and calcium with feta cheese and olives. Chop your vegetables into bite-size pieces and dress with salt, pepper, and red wine vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar.
Israeli Salad
The classic Israeli salad is a perfect crunchy side dish, using simply the crunchiest cucumbers you can find. Try to use tomatoes that aren’t too ripe, as harder tomatoes preserve the texture and are easier to chop. That’s important, because for this salad you’ll want to chop everything as finely as you possible can. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Tabbouli
Tabbouli’s main ingredients are bulgur and parsley, and it’s another super refreshing side dish that’s also packed with nutrients! It’s made in different ways depending on the cook, but one way to add crunch and and “extra something” is to chop up cucumbers and onions really fine and add them in.
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]]>The post How to Caramelize Onions the Right Way appeared first on foodisinthehouse.com.
]]>But when they do turn out right, caramelized onions can really take nearly any dish up a notch, which means that it’s worth it to try to figure out what you’re doing wrong and how to fix it. So here is our best effort to help you figure out how to caramelize onions the right way.
- Use a lot of onions. More than you think. Once they cook, they’ll shrink down significantly.
- Use a big pan. Larger than you think. An overcrowded pan will not be your friend in this process.
- Use olive oil over medium heat. Not too hot, not too cold. Think Goldilocks for this one.
- Add salt to draw out the moisture that will help your onions caramelize.
- Be patient, grasshopper. Caramelizing onions can take ten to fifteen minutes, sometimes even more. This is a lot more time than most of us are used to cooking onions. Don’t worry. Trust the process.
- Give the pan a shake every once in a while, but don’t overdo the stirring.
- Don’t hesitate to deglaze the pan with some water, wine, or liquor to release the yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Taste as you go. Only you can decide if the onions are caramelized to your preferences.
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]]>Open a Window
One of the only ways you can be sure that an onion won’t make you cry—at least not too much—is to open a window while you chop. That’ll give the fumes somewhere to go other than straight into your tear ducts. You can also stick your head out the window from time to time to get away from the onion smell.
Breathe Through Your Mouth
They say that onion makes you cry when you smell it, so to avoid too much of the onion fumes permeating into your nose, you can make yourself breathe through your mouth. If you’re finding it hard to force the mouth-breathing, you can always sing a song while you cut your onions, which will get your mouth open more.
Freeze the Onion
One of the most effective ways to avoid onion tears is to pop your onion in the freezer for ten minutes or so before you chop. Just don’t forget to take it out! A frozen onion is no fun.
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]]>The post Tips For Cutting Onions Without Crying appeared first on foodisinthehouse.com.
]]>Wear Goggles
When in doubt, do the thing that seems most logical. You might look a bit funky to your family members or roommates, but at least you’ll be able to brag that you didn’t cry!
Cut Them Under Cold Water
If you cut your onions under a running stream of cold water, it’ll lower the temperature of this pesky vegetable. When this happens, it will reduce the lachrymatory effect of the onion, which is the chemical that makes us cry in the first place.
Cut Near a Fan
Another way to keep the lachrymatory effect of the onion to a minimum is by keeping a running fan nearby. This too will lower the onion’s temperature, and reduce your tears in the process.
Hold Some Water in Your Mouth
This is by the strangest tip of them all, but it actually works—sometimes. Hold a mouthful of water and close your mouth while chopping your onions, and you’ll oddly feel more refreshed and not have to cry.
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]]>The post 4 Top Tips for Chopping Onions appeared first on foodisinthehouse.com.
]]>But onions are notoriously tricky and can be quite annoying to prepare when you’re first starting out. Here are 4 top tips that will have you chopping onions like a pro.
Chop the Stalk
Onion skin can sometimes be hard to peal off. This can get messy, make your eyes water or lose you time. A quick way to make an inroad on the skin is to nip off the stalk at the top of the onion. From there, you can peel the skin off nicely in big sheets.
Wear Goggles
It might sound a bit over the top, but if you wear a pair of swimming goggles, the onions will not make your eyes water. The benefit of doing this is not only it saves your eyes the discomfort, but also it allows you to chop the onions quicker and more precisely. This can be important if your cooking a high intensity dinner.
Don’t Cut the Center
After cutting the onion in half, make sure not to further cut the center of the onion. This is because the center helps the onion maintain its structure, and it is also the part that makes your eyes water the most.
Finely Chop Crossways
Finely chop across each half of the onion in a crisscrossing motion, making sure not to cut the center.
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]]>Ingredients:
- 3 large onions, sliced and disassembled into rings
For the Batter:
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 small can of pale beer
For Frying:
- Canola oil
Instructions:
- Beat the eggs together with the salt, pepper, and oregano. Add the flour and beer and stir again.
- Dip the onion rings in the batter and deep fry in canola oil.
- Fry the onion rings carefully, and remove them from the oil. Dab them with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Enjoy with ketchup, chili sauce, mayonnaise, or tartar sauce.
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]]>The post Common Mistakes You’re Probably Making With Caramelized Onions appeared first on foodisinthehouse.com.
]]>Thin Slices
If your onion slices are too thin, they’ll end up burning down or sticking to the bottom of your pan before attaining the right flavor. You should avoid thick slices, as well, since it will take a while before the middle is properly cooked.
(@yourweirdveganfriend)High Heat
Caramelizing onions isn’t a process you can rush by cranking up the heat. It actually takes 30-45 minutes for onions to properly caramelize, and you’ll have to use medium-low heat unless you want them to burn.
Full Pan
Another common mistake that people make in an attempt to speed up the process is overcrowding the pan. It will actually take much longer for the onions to caramelize this way since they’ll steam and produce water.
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]]>The post A Straight-Forward Method to Dicing Onions Easily appeared first on foodisinthehouse.com.
]]>Prepare
Before we start chopping we have to prepare the tools and the onion. Work on a clean surface with a sharp knife; this will help get the onion ready faster and with less sting to the eyes. Hold the onion with the roots to one side and the “crown” to the other side and chop the crown off so that there is a flat top.
Place the onion on its newly created flat side and cut it in half. Remove the dry peels but do not cut or pull off the roots.
Start Slicing
Hold a half flat-side down and start with the tip of the knife near the root. Cut the slices like a fan, with the root side staying connected. Then hold the knife in parallel to the surface and cut the onion in half.
Get It Done
Start chopping across the slices, flat-side down, root on the one side, slicing hand on the other. Work your way into the root and discard it once the rest is diced.
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