Cry babies: A look at different types of onions

By Janet K. Keeler and Times Food, Travel Editor
In print: Wednesday, May 14, 2008

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PERHAPS NO OTHER INGREDIENT, except maybe salt, is as amiable as the onion. The workhorse of the kitchen, onions add texture, flavor and nutrition to a variety of dishes. In fact, we can't think of a single cuisine that doesn't utilize them. Not all onions are created equal. Georgia's Vidalia is sweet and the white onion will make you cry more than most — blame the tears on sulfuric compounds. The shallot is so delicate that it disappears into French sauces. And leeks, well they're just a leafy onion unto themselves. Here's a handy guide to common onions.

1. CHIVES: We think of chives more as herbs but they are a relative of the onion, along with garlic. They add a delicate heat to dishes and taste better fresh than dried. Snip into green salads and anything with sour cream.

2. PEARL ONIONS: The small white onion is associated with the creamed dish served at holidays, with or without peas. Pickled, they garnish a Gibson cocktail. They can be quite hot when raw and the devil to peel. Plunge into boiling water for a few seconds then shock in ice-cold water and skins will slip off.

3. SHALLOT: This is a small relative of the onion with dry, coppery skin. The flavor combines onions and garlic. Somewhat hot when raw, but it cooks to a delicate flavor.

4. YELLOW ONIONS: Golden color with relatively strong flavor. May be used cooked or raw, depending on your taste. Long, slow sauteing at very low heat brings out sweet, mellow flavors.

5. RED ONIONS: Purple in color rather than true red, they are relatively mild. Appealing raw in salads or sauteed in a stir-fry. Also good for other cooking. Adding a bit of vinegar, wine or lemon juice helps keep color from fading or turning purplish-blue.

6. SWEET ONIONS: You see them as Vidalia, Walla Walla, Maui, Oso Sweet. High sugar content and mild flavor. A good choice for raw use, such as in salads and sandwiches or in salsa. Because of high water content, sweet onions don't keep as long as others.

7. LEEKS: A leek looks like a large, fat scallion with a white root and dark green leaves. Mild flavor. Usually only the white root and a small bit of the tough leaves are used. Careful trimming and cleaning are needed because dirt accumulates in the leaves.

8. SCALLIONS: This is a variety of onion that is harvested at an immature stage before the bulb has formed. Mild flavor. A green onion is not the same as a scallion, though the names are often interchanged. Green onions have tiny white bulbs at the bottom while scallions have straight white sides at the root end.

9. WHITE ONIONS: One of the more pungent onions. Use raw on burgers, sandwiches, salsa and similar dishes. They can be used in any recipe that calls for cooked onions.

Sources: National Onion Association and Times files