 A dry onion that has purplish red skins and white flesh that is tinged with red. They are medium to large in size and have a mild, sweet flavor. Red onions are good to eat raw, used to add color to salads, and grilled or lightly cooked with other foods.
 A type of dry onion that has a pure white skin and a sweet, mild flesh that is also white in color. This onion is widely used in Mexican foods, complementing the flavors of other ingredients. It can be sautéed to a golden brown color and served to provide a sweet delicate flavor to other foods. It may be substituted with yellow onions in many recipes.
 Of all onion varieties, 80 percent of production is devoted to the yellow onion. It provides a rich onion taste, making it a good choice for food dishes requiring a distinctive onion flavor, such as French onion soup. When sautéed, it will turn a deep dark brown color and can be added as a complement to a variety of food dishes or meats.
 Types of sweet-tasting, extra yellow onions, such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, Maui, Sweet Imperial, and the Texas Sweet, also known as the 1015 because it is planted on October 15th, are becoming more available. They are juicy – and therefore don’t store well - and have a low sulfur content that makes them ideal for salads and sandwiches.
 The mildest of the famed onion family, the scallion is the immature stem and bulb of an onion. The scallion is valued for its bulb and leaves. I go a step further and use the stringy rootlets.
Health Benefits: The green part of a scallion is high in vitamin A. The bulb contains vitamins A, B-complex, and C; it also has some calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Use: Both the scallion bulb and leaves are used either as a garnish or as an ingredient for salads, soups, and stir-fries. They add lightness, both of flavor and appearance, and make a heavy or fatty dish more digestible. I often use the rootlets, washed well and chopped fine, in soup; they are a concentrated source of minerals and add flavor.
 One of the smallest varieties of the onion family. It has a pear-shaped bulb that separates into bulblets (or cloves). The shallot has a purplish white flesh which has a mild flavor that is a cross between a sweet onion and garlic. Since the mild flavor will not overpower other ingredients, it is commonly used to flavor meats, stews, soups, and sauces. When used raw for salads and vinaigrettes, it provides a subtle yet distinct flavor with only a slight amount of heat, not equaled by an onion.
 The leek, the sweet cousin of the onion. You can use not only the leek’s green leaf but also its many tiny rootlets, which look like a string mop. These mineral-dense filaments add valuable flavor and nutrients.
Health Benefits: As with onions and garlic, the sulfur compounds in leeks account for some of its healing action. Because leeks are milder than onions and garlic, they are less stimulating and therefore better suited to young children and people with a fiery, hot temper.
Use: Leek roots contain flavor and minerals that are far more bioavilable than mineral supplements. Cut them, as a cluster, from the root base. Soak their cluster to loosen any embedded sand, then carefully rinse. Mince the rootlets and use in any soup, sautéed, or simmered vegetable dish; they are too fibrous to add to salads or lightly cooked dishes. Trim off the dehydrated tips of the leaves or any large, tough leaves. Slice the remaining vegetable in half lengthwise. Wash, taking care to remove any dirt lodged in the leaves. (If a leek is unusually gritty, cut it lengthwise into quarters for more thorough cleaning.) Leek should be brightly colored, firm (not wilted or flabby), and fresh looking.
from Rebecca Wood's The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia |
