The Cooking Corner: Onions

In my opinion, Onions have their opposites. White= Hard flavor, Yellow= a little sweet, Vidalia is the sweetest. Red= is the sweetest out of white and yellow, but the Shallot is sweeter than Red. Scallions= hard flavor, (to me) even harder than White, but the Leek is the Scallions sweeter counterpart. After this comes Garlic. It is sweeter than the above. Black Garlic is sweeter than roasted.

Homemade roasted garlic: Set your oven at 400 degrees, get tinfoil (maybe 8 by 8), make it into a bowl with high sides, add unpeeled garlic bulbs, and drizzle some of Popeye’s girlfriend/PG (Olive Oil; the name I came up with ;-) ) all over the bulbs, then roll the sides up to close. Add to oven; cook for a half hour or longer until the garlic roasts to your desire. I like mine very roasted, but no way near burnt. Pull out when done. Peel the skin from the bulbs. Reserve the oil. Use it to cook other things in that day. If you keep the oil, refrigerate it. In addition, use within 2-3 days. Less is better. Freeze the small bulbs in tight plastic wrap, then in a bag. Wrapping items in plastic wrap keeps freezer burn away. Pull out as needed.

You can buy roasted garlic in small jars, but homemade is better.

Now if there comes a time when you do not have Onions and a recipe calls for them, there are substitutes.

1 tablespoon of onion powder= 1 Med Onion. 1 Tablespoon of dry minced Onion= ¼ a cup of raw Onion.

If minced onion is all you have, put it in a coffee grinder and powder it. If no blender put it in a bowl, and using the back of a spoon, press down hard and grind using the back of the spoon until the minced onion powders. Use this method with other herbs and spices.

I invested in a mortar and pestle. I use it more than the grinder if the dried spices and herbs are soft and small. Use a coffee grinder for harder things like whole cloves, or use the MP to grind/ground them. The best thing about using the MP is that you can get more of the natural oils out of the herbs or spices by grinding them together. It’s cheaper to buy them and mix them yourself than buying pre-mixed herbs and spices. They taste way better this way.

When it comes to shopping for this/and or of things in the spice aisle, the most expensive and/or brand name is not always better. Try different brands to see what you like best. Cheaper brands taste very close to the same or even better at times. I look at reviews online, it is better than buying and tasting. The dried toasted minced onions I use are made by a cheap brand, but their very fragrant and tasty. ;-)

I love using toasted minced onion instead of regular white minced. Their sweeter and already pre- caramelized.

When it comes to coking onion, caramelized onion is sweeter than a regular sautéed onion. Caramelized is when the onion turns the color of light/dark caramel when cooked. At this point removes them or add your other ingredients.

To cook onions faster use a pinch of salt tossed all over the onions. The salt will make the onions sweat and cook faster. You can use a pinch of real or a very good substitute sugar the same way, to make any onion sweeter.

Get your skillet hot, add your unsalted butter and a little of Popeye’s girlfriend, then your chopped or sliced onions, and use your pinch of salt and/or sugar. Keep an eye on the onions, using these techniques will cook your onions faster. However, if you are cooking them on low heat, they will cook fast, but not as quick as above.

With butter, it is best to use or use other oils, than using Margarine. Margarine is full of water, and it will not cook things in a skillet that good. Now if you think butter is bad for you, it is; only if you do not use it in moderation. So always, use butter. It’s been proven that butter is better for you, than margarine. So try to use only natural ingredients if you can. Than man made substitutes for cooking. Anything not moderately used or eaten is bad.

Here is My French Onion Soup Recipe

Yields: 3-4 servings
3 tbsp. Butter
4cps. Chopped onion
I use 4cps Vidalia, but at times, I mix and match. Use whatever you like out of White, yellow, Vidalia, or Red.
¼ tsp of chopped roasted garlic
5½ cps. Beef broth
1 tbsp. Sherry (Real is better, but cooking Sherry is okay too if that is all you have.)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (google substitutes if you must)
¼ tsp minced thyme (over soup, rub it in your palms to release oils, and scrap it off your hands so it drops in soup.)
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Homemade Croutons
Swiss cheese

Heat your pot on low to med heat. Add your butter. Once melted add your onions. Cook them until you like the look, feel and taste of them. I cook mine a little over 20 minutes stirring occasionally until lightly caramelized. Add the rest of the ingredients except croutons and cheese. Bring the mixture to a boil and then cook on low for about 45 minutes or to your desired flavor. Let it reduce a bit. Reducing helps build flavor.

While soup is cooking, begin your croutons. Set the oven to 350 degrees. Get whatever bread you like , I use Sourdough for this recipe. Cut your bread in small cubes/squares. Use how much bread you need. Put on a foil baking sheet, put into the oven for 10-15 minutes until toasted and crunchy. While those are in the oven, melt about 2 tbsp. butter with 1/4 tsp of parsley. Pull the croutons out and turn off the oven. Put croutons into a bowl, drizzle parsley butter all over croutons. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix the croutons. Try to cover all of them. Put them back on the foiled pan. Place them in oven to keep warm and crunchy. Pull them out of the oven when the soup is done.

Put a portion of soup in a bowl or cup. Add some croutons, and place a slice of Swiss over the croutons. Let it sit a few minutes and the cheese will melt over the croutons.

Now is the time to enjoy the fruit of your labor by eating.

One last thing; do not be scared to cook. Sometimes your efforts might not look good, but tastes delicious. Do not rush, or mistakes will be made. However, mistakes make you a better cook.

Let’s keep this thread about recipes where the onion is the star okay??

Soon I’ll add my Cream of Onion Soup recipe. It’s nothing like you have ever tasted, it’s pretty darn good.

P.S. You're welcome drumsrfun

I don't know why I looked at this thread. I hate onions. And garlic.

I think I do like caramelized Vidalia onions though, because of the sweetness.

a reply to: ICallGhosts

Thanks for the onion soup recipe. Great for cold winter nights.

a reply to: ICallGhosts

thanks for this

I am gonna be spending more time in cooking forum, i have wonderful recipes to share

a reply to: ICallGhosts

I used to work in a nice Italian restaurant. We made our own roasted garlic paste from scratch. It was one of the most simple preparations.

In an oven @ 250 degrees completely cover full garlic heads with EVOO. til there is a pond of oil.
let it bake for 50 minutes, til the top of the oil is dark brown,
remove from the oven,
drain the oil and save it for dunking pieces of bread into,
and puree the garlic. Bam.

a reply to: Aldakoopa
Thanks for the post. I was the same way about Onions and Garlic when they weren't cooked the way I like. Even in restaurants I'll as them to caramelize my onions LOL But when Onions are cooked to caramilization, they taste wonderful by themselves or when added to things, like your spaghetti sauce. Try cooking them, don't be scared too. You wouldn't believe how many things we eat and love contain onion/onion powder and garlic/garlic powder

With garlic, even roasted can be over powering, that's why I started using small amounts until I got to the flavor I could handle. I always use roasted garlic and caramelized Onions. But at times, I roast and and grill the onions and garlic (outta skin). But you gotta keep them buttered or oiled. Sprinkling sugar on them does make a difference, but start with a pinch all over them. And garlic, black garlic is soo sweet. You'll taste garlic, but there's no way to describe the sweetness except by tasting. Those would be great for you to try and use until you get used to the flavor of garlic. My mom hates garlic, but eats black garlic raw. Seriously! Also if you don't want to make your own roasted garlic, you can buy small jars of it. Start using a 1/4 tsp and work your way up until you like the taste in things. If it's a small dish, use 1/8 tsp.

a reply to: tinker9917

You're welcome

a reply to: BettyHill400

That's great I hope to see this forum used more frequently

a reply to: ChefSlug

Thanks for posting the recipe If you have any more recipes where the onion is the star, please post them! I want to keep this about Onions, and make a new thread about something else.

I absolutely love French onion soup! Your recipe is different than the ones I have used, so I'm anxious to give it a try.

Onions are good for the immune system, and help ward off cold and flu bugs. I know from experience it helps get the bugs out of ones' system a little quicker.

When I have a cold, a sandwich made from purple onion slices with lots of pepper on buttered bred sure eases the discomfort.

a reply to: nugget1

Thanks for posting

I've heard a little about onions being good for the immune system. I know garlic is, and since it's in the onion category, it would make sense for it to be beneficial for the immune system too.

I know a small raw garlic bulb rubbed on a plain piece of toast, followed by butter, can ease a temperature. That's from personal experience. My temperature dropped a few degree's within an hour. Even roasted could be used the same way.

I'll check up on the benefits of Onions, and more on Garlic. Then I'll post some of the findings. I hope everyone else does the same thing about posting. I used Onions as the first title because many are scared, and don't know how to use onions and garlic.

Now with your recipe, the onions can be raw or cooked And more things added to make it even more beneficial

a reply to: ICallGhosts

P.S. You're welcome drumsrfun

Thank you very much.
As fall closes in,I have onions to dig out of my garden and needed a good recipe.


Keep em coming...I GREATLY appreciate a good recipe no matter what it is.

Yes, yes, yes! on the roasted garlic. We make homemade hummus and roast our own garlic for it. It adds a wonderful flavor to the finished product.

a reply to: ICallGhosts

I will be making the onion soup recipe, sounds really good. I love onions. Very good cooking points. Thanks.