A regular staple to Filipino dishes is the ever-dependable bulb vegetable which includes onions, garlic, and ramps. Dishes come alive when these members of the lily family contribute aromatic undertones. Onion and garlic prove to be versatile especially when they add punch to salads and salsas in their raw form. The real magic happens when they’re cooked. The light sauté or slow roast tones down their pungent, acrid flavors and coaxes out their natural sweetness.
Bring out the best of bulb vegetables with these tips:
• “Spring” bulb such as scallions and ramps, needs refrigeration.
• “Storage” bulbs are the more typically onionlike or the round, thin-skinned vegetables that can simply be kept out in a dark, dry place.
• Chives are technically related to onions and garlic but are considered to be an herb.
With so many kinds of onions out in the market, it is wise to know each one of them so as to keep them fresh for a long time and to know what each onion is best for.
1. Spanish onion
Characteristics:
This storage onion is relatively mild but not as much as sweet onions. These are round, with a thin, brownish, and papery skin. Spanish onions are the most common type of onion in the United States. They are also available as red and white. When a recipe asks for “an onion,” a Spanish onion is the one to use.
2. Shallots
Alternate names: Gray shallot, Red shallot
Characteristics:
The shallots often looks more like garlic than an onion because of its small, bulbous cluster and thin dry coppery-brown skin. Individual shallot cloves closely resemble oversized garlic cloves with their pointed tapered ends. The only difference is that the shallot possesses a luminescent purple hue. Its flavor is milder than an onion, but its bite is still sharp when uncooked. The French incorporate the shallot into many dishes but it’s also popular throughout Southeast Asian cuisine.
3. White onion
Characteristics:
This storage onion is named for the color of its thin skin and flesh. This is the onion of choice when making Latin and Central American dishes, especially Mexican food, with a taste that’s tangy than sweet or sour.
3. Garlic
Characteristics:
Garlic is sold many ways: whole bulb, already-peeled cloves, pre-sliced, and minced. At the farmers’ market, newly harvested garlic is sometimes sold with the curled green stems still attached to the bulb, the ends of which are called “scapes.” An unpeeled garlic clove doesn’t have a very strong scent, but once the clove’s body has been damaged, a pungent odor is released. To get garlic that’s sweet and fragrant, either sauté or roast it. But be careful not to burn the garlic, which will result in an acrid smell.
4. Pearl onions
Characteristics:
These very small onions are valued for their sweet, delicate flavor and are usually served as an accompaniment. Pearl onions can be creamed, roasted, or glazed. Pickled pearl onions make a great garnish to the classic martini. Better look for frozen pre-peeled pearl onions at your local market to lessen the task of peeling such small onions.
5. Red onion
Alternate name: Purple onion
Characteristics:
The bright reddish-purple skin makes this onion hard to miss. It’s a favorite ingredient in salads. Red onions have the sharpest flavor in the family, so use uncooked red onions sparingly. To soften the taste, chill raw onions in ice water for 20 minutes before serving.
5. Sweet onions
Alternate names: Fresh onion, spring onion, summer onion
Characteristics:
These storage onions are sweet because they have a lower concentration of sulfur allowing the sugar content to stand out. People who like onions but dislike the strong taste, will find sweet onions a good alternative. Some people even consume them raw, like ripe fruit. These don’t keep as well as other storage onions, so try to consume them as soon as possible.
6. Ramps
Alternate names: Tennessee truffles, wild leek, ramson, wild leek, ail des bois
Characteristics:
This North American native spring onion is edible in its whole goodness. Be it from the tops of its lily of the valley like leaves and stems to all the way down to the bulb. When eaten raw, a ramp tastes strong and more like garlic than scallion, but if cooked, its flavor turns mildly sweet. When serving, try to keep the entire plant intact for a lovely presentation.
7. Scallions
Alternate names: Green onion, bunching onion, Chinese onion, Welsh onion
Characteristics:
This spring onion’s flavorful bite makes it a famous ingredient in Asian cooking. Some recipes may call for only the long green hollow leaves or the white bulbous ends, but the scallion is entirely edible. Recipes usually require that scallions be chopped. Scallions are interchangeable with ramps. Don’t let them languish in the fridge. Use soon after purchase.
