ONIONS!

[marmalade]

I have been questioned at the grocery check-out why I bought two or more different kinds of onions.

So, I'm curious what kinds of onions you all buy and how you use them differently.

My answer later.

[COTSBOE]

Different kinds of onions have different flavors that work differently in different dishes. That's the difference. ;)

I tend to favor Vidalia onions whenever I sauté them because they have a lot of natural sweetness. Red onions have a beautiful color, so whenever I'm doing anything raw or lightly cooked I'll lean toward them. I also like shallots (not really onions, but close enough) when a milder taste is preferred.

[Haze]

Onions? I buy shallots, cooking (white) onions, and red onions on a regular basis. I've not encountered particular varieties of onions, like Vidalia though.

[Mouser]

Vidalia onions are best when saute-ed over a low heat for a long time and allowed to carmelize. Then you can spread them over whatever you are barbecuing.

They are also good raw in thick slices in sandwiches, or eaten like apples.

Yellow onions for everyday cooking.

Red are good for raw salads.

Scallions for chinese food or anything that requires a light overall flavor.

[Magnus Bergqvist]

Usually buy yellow onions as well as red onions sometimes.

Then some small charlotten-onions (no idea of English name) for certain dishes. okm for one dish: A mediaveal herb-salad based on onions, leeks and fennel.

Red onions I might buy to eat raw, as in taking crisp bread, butter tne add grated cheese, small cuts of red onions and black pepper. =^_^=

Other than that, not sure what counts as onions? Garlic, leeks etc?

/Magnus

[BattleNymph]

I buy red onions for using raw. Yellow onions for most cooked recipes and scallions for garnish.

Sometimes the small pickling onions for stews and such.

Yellow has a mild flavor, milder than white. Red has that awesome color and texture which makes it good raw. Scallions don't do well cooked either.

[silverwhisper]

red onions for raw; white or yellow for cooking over here.

scallions are crucial for how i learned to make korean food and are useful in crudite.

[marmalade]

I use yellow onions for my red pasta sauce and most other general purpose cooking. If my grocery carried Vidalias I would use them.

On the few occasions that I use raw onion, it would be white or red.

White onions also go into mr. marmalade's goulash. They will disintegrate over long cooking, making a nicer gravy than yellow onions. Since the goulash is half meat and half onions, it makes a big difference.

I never got into the habit of using shallots, and will just use a small amount of white onion in recipes that call for shallots. I need a shallot vs. onion taste test of some sort.

Leeks are great in soup and quiche.

[Cranky Dog]

Regular white onions in 5lbs bags. On several occasions we buy red onions for decoration.


Cranky Dog
"I have a tear generator opinion, international!"

[Amso]

I don't buy onions, unless its the dried variety. I hate raw onions, and I put them in my food so infrequently that they're not worth buying. They'd go bad before I got around to using them.

[TinSoldier]

I almost exclusively buy yellow onions. However I have found recently that I like the color of red onions as well. I've used them mostly raw but I think I've cooked them a time or two.

[Stephane]

Yellow and/or white for cooking. Red for raw. shallots raw or very lightly cooked (that would usually be in omelettes).

I don't get too fancy with onions, generally speaking. I'll by a spanish onion once in a while for a change.