These are the most common onions and are available all year round. They are strongly flavoured, firm onions with layers of golden brown paper skins and white flesh. Edible portion includes flesh only. Generally used for cooking rather than eaten raw.
What to look for
Choose onions with firm flesh and dry papery outer skin. Avoid those with green shoots or soft spots.
Availability
All year.
Store
Store in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Do not put them in plastic bags; if purchased in plastic, remove as soon as possible. Avoid refrigerating or storing with any food that may absorb their flavour.
How to prepare
Remove skin and root, cut as required; slice, dice, wedge or leave whole. Braising; blanch first. Roasting; skin can be left on when roasted whole. Stuffing; peel, cut off top, scoop out centre to leave 1 cm shell. The release of oil during peeling brings tears to the eyes – there is no guaranteed way of avoiding this. The best advice is to peel and slice quickly. To peel large quantities of pickling onions, top and tail, then cover with boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and remove the skins which will slip off easily.
Ways to eat
Onions can be eaten raw, cooked or pickled. In many recipes, onions add flavour and texture. They can be used in soups, braises, stews, pizzas, pies, pasta dishes, salads, sandwiches, sauces, chutneys and stir fries.
Cooking Methods
Boil, microwave, roast, steam, stir fry, braise, stew.
Information provided on this page is supplied to assist our customers to select suitable products. However, products and their ingredients are liable to change at short notice, which may affect nutritional, country of origin, ingredient and allergen information. Therefore, you should always check product labels before consuming. If you require specific information to assist in your purchasing decision, we recommend that you make further enquiries of the manufacturer (see contact details on the packaging) or contact us on 0800 404040.
