Onions

Apr 6

Culinary Use, Storage, and Benefits

Vegetable Profile: Onion (Allium cepa)

Description

Onions may be one of the first plants to be domesticated. It seems no dish is complete without them, and their aroma when sizzling in a pan is enough to get mouths watering. We adore the onion family so much that our son’s name is an adaptation of the scientific name Allium. We grow many varieties in the onion family that aren’t what we consider to be regular onions, like chives, garlic chives, scallions and garlic. The information here is specific to bulbing onions. However, there is much overlap in terms of the nutritional and medicinal benefits.

Onions must be cured in order to have a long storage life. Most of the onions you have access to are cured, and there are only a couple of weeks out of the season where we may offer fresh or uncured onions. You’ll know if they are cured or not by whether the greens are attached. If they are, they aren’t cured.

Nutrition

Onions support health on an ongoing basis in a variety of ways. They have anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. They support healthy digestion by stimulating the appetite and promoting a vigorous metabolism of nutrients. They contain antioxidant quercetin which is considered protective against a host of degenerative diseases. They are warming and drying.

Storage

Cured onions can be stored in a cool, dark place for weeks to many months. Use them before the greens begin to shoot out from the top, and while the bulbs are firm. Fresh onions should be stored in the fridge, which will give them a milder and less pungent flavor.

Use

Some folks love the taste of raw onion on a sandwich, and some don’t. The beauty of onions is that there are different varieties for every purpose, and using them raw or cooked allows you to manipulate the flavor greatly. The ones that are best used raw include red or Italian cippolini. The ones best cooked in a sauté, grilled, or caramelized are the white, yellow, and sweet onions.