Playing Onions on the Mandoline
With the snow falling outside, one thinks of warming foods like French Onion soup, (recipe follows). But onion soup can be discouraging to make. To prepare, you slice what seems to be an interminable number of strong onions and tears inevitably follow. But with a little practice on a mandoline, you can slice whole onions in beautiful slices of any width with enough speed to minimize irritation.
Some people try to avoid tearing by using less potent onions, but good onion soup needs the strongest onion. Onions are either fresh or dry/storage onions. Fresh onions have a relatively low pungency compared to dry onions - hence they are called sweet onions. There are two groups in the sweet onion category. Young onions, which are pulled before they have a chance to make a bulb, are called, interchangeably, “scallions”, “spring onions”, “salad onions”, or “bunching onions” Other fresh onions look like large, globe onions, but are labeled “sweet” and specify the originating locale. This group includes Vidalias, Mauis, and Walla Wallas. Sweet onions have a high moisture content and are quite perishable – they should be refrigerated. These onions are best used raw, or for quick cooking techniques like grilling, sautéing, or high temperature roasting.
Dried onions are globular. There are three common types each with different potency levels. The mildest is the red or Bermuda onion; slightly stronger is the large, whitish Spanish onion. The most pungent is the common yellow or globe onion. These onions should not be refrigerated, but rather kept in a cool, dry place. Dried onions are best for long term cooking, i.e. simmering, braising, or stewing. During this process, some of their starch converts to sugars and they develop a complex, slightly sweet flavor. However, enough of their potency remains to stimulate the flavor receptors in the mouth – the reason onions are used in so many dishes.
As soup is simmered a long time, the best onion for French onion soup is the globe onion. And you will need a lot of them. The first challenge is to remove the outside papery skin, which can be remarkably obstinate. A fast method is to drop the onions in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain, and put in ice water. Alternatively you can soak them in warm water for 30 minutes or in cold water in the refrigerator overnight. The most expedient method, however, it to peel off the entire outer layer, including the skin. You may need an extra onion, but onions are so inexpensive this is a small price to pay.
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