Unsung pantry hero
THE HUMBLE ONION HAS MANY LAYERS, IS INEXPENSIVE, VERSATILE AND RUNS RINGS AROUND OTHER VEGIES
With iceberg lettuce prices still high, and the likes of broccoli, green beans and cabbage also on their way to becoming delicacy items, it’s prime time to explore other sources for our “five a day”.
Before hitting the supermarket and posting photos of outrageous prices on your social media accounts, it’s worth having a look at the back of your pantry. There, you’re likely to find one of the daily serves that the doctor ordered, ready and waiting for you: the humble onion.
Often overlooked as a vegetable and sidelined as an aromatic, the pungent allium relative is an affordable way to get your vegetable fix. You can load up on a kilo of onions for just over $2 from most grocers, and just half an onion counts as one daily vegetable serve.
For chef Tom Walton, the vegetable price hikes are an added incentive to spotlight this underrated vegetable, and he hopes to inspire home cooks across Australia to do the same. “The trusty onion remains incredibly affordable and is available all-year round which is a bonus,” he says. “They can be enjoyed at any meal and in a variety of ways so they’re a great alternative to some of the other more expensive produce at the moment.”
Good for the gut and full of antioxidants, onions have the added benefit of being long-lasting: “they’re always there when you need them,” Walton says.
Learning how to cook onions properly, and experimenting with out-of-the-box recipes, are key to unlocking their full meal-hero potential.
Here are Walton’s top tips for onion perfection.
1 Add heat and time
“This is how you transform the pungent flavours of a raw onion into a sweet, meaty, caramelised flavour profile,” Walton says. “Caramelising your onions helps to create a sweet, delicious flavour – the longer the better”.
2 Try slowcooking
Add a hearty serve of onions to a slow-cooked casserole or curry, to instantly boost the flavour profile.
3 Make them a barbecue side
“Served straight off the coals with the skins cut away and tossed in a herb dressing, roasted onions are the perfect dish alongside a roast chook or meat,” says Walton.
4 Have them at-the-ready
Walton suggests doing a caramelised onion cook-up every few weeks so you always have a ready-made side dish or condiment: “Serve with steak or chicken, add into sandwiches, or
spoon it into soups”. 5Add Get creative caramelised onion to hummus for a sweet and nutty flavour sensation, Walton suggests. He’s also a big fan of cooking up a roasted ‘upside down’ onion cake. “Think of it like a big savoury muffin,” he says. “I make it with red and brown onions and pack it with pumpkin, feta and herbs for a savoury yet sweet combo – perfect for a weekday lunch, picnic or as a snack.