Many cuisines and cooking cultures in the world start cooking every single dish with chopping an onion, unless they are making a cake. In Africa and the Middle East, South America and South Asia as well as much of the Mediterranean onions are the starting flavour base and the ingredient you can’t do without. Wonderful dishes: biryanis, tagines, ragus and salsas won’t taste right if you omit onions.
They are bolshy: peeling and chopping will make you cry, and their presence lingers even after everything has been eaten and washed up. On the other hand, whose mouth wouldn’t water at the smell of frying onions?
This collection starring the common allium includes onion recipes, like pickled or tobacco onions, as well as ones that won’t be the same or even authentic without it, like mejadra or calves’ liver.
Mejadra, Levantine rice and lentils were the biblical Esau’s ‘bowl of stew’. Probably. It can be made with rice or with bulgur wheat but onions in the dish are non-negotiable. My version is with brown rice and it includes a great fried onions shortcut tip.
Shallots are a variety of common onion and they are an absolute pain to peel, but deliciously mild in flavour. Roasted balsamic shallots, baked with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup with a sweet and tart glaze and rosemary fragrance make an irresistible side, condiment or a snack.
Maple and balsamic shallots
RECIPE
Garlic bread is all very well but onion bread is a proper loaf. This wholegrain seeded loaf with apple and onion uses granary (malted) flour. Grated apple and chopped onion provide moisture and a wonderful flavour.
One of the most addictive snacks ever, crispy tobacco onions are very easy to make and they beat onion rings anytime. Why are they called tobacco onions? It's because of their colour and curly appearance.
Thickly sliced onion is a must in grilled or barbecued skewers, be it meat or just vegetables. Halloumi and vegetable skewers, vegetarian kebabs of cheese, mushrooms, peppers and onion drizzled with tangy marinade are as fantastic cooked on a barbecue as from the oven.
Halloumi and vegetable skewers
RECIPE
Beautiful soup: I’m pretty sure it must have been French onion in Lewis Carroll’s verse. The best of all soups in my humble view, onion soup can be made with white or red onions. It's vegetarian or not depending on what type of stock you add.
Some things are just plain wrong without onions and pan fried livers are certainly one of them. Delicious calves' liver with red onions cooks in 5 minutes, it's tender, juicy and nutritious. Plus, eating offal is a way to reduce waste and meat emissions.
Calves' livers and red onions
RECIPE
Know your onions – and pickle them. Quick, easy and vibrant pickled red onions, perfect for a taco or burger night. And don’t they look so very pretty?
The French version of pizza (we won’t get into the argument on which was first) features salty fish and onions, copiously. Pissaladière Provençal is a savoury tart from Nice, with onion, anchovy and olive topping on pizza dough.
Potatoes and onions: that’s the epitome of comfort for me. And boulangère potatoes, or baker’s potatoes, are spuds sliced thinly and baked in stock in the oven with lots of sliced onions. A simple side of boulangère potatoes is traditional with beef bourguignon.