KNOWING YOUR ONIONS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 485, 8 October 1948, Page 22

KNOWING YOUR ONIONS

FEW years ago we had a shortage of onions and it) was then that we realized what an important part they play in cookery. Not only are they flavoursome, . however, but they are very healthful and vitamin-rich. Our grandmothers knew that onions were "good for colds," and gave the children hot "onion porridge" at bedtime. Lately it has been found that onions, both raw and cooked, are a real help in attacks of asthma. People who find onions indigestible, or too strongflavoured, may overcome this by boiling them first for about five minutes in water which is then discarded, and the onions used according to the desired recipe, Onion Toast (Hampshire) This is a traditional recipe. The English people knew the value of cheese and onions. Fry some sliced onions a nice brown, and spread thickly over slices of hot toast (buttered if liked). Season with pepper and salt. Cover with thin slices of cheese spread with a little mustard. Pop into hot oven or under grill until the cheese melts a little, and serve at once. Stuffed Onions This is- a favourite savoury dish. Choose good-sized onions, skin them, and simmer them for about five minutes in salted water. "Drain, and remove the centres, to form a case. Make a stuffing with breadcrumbs, the chopped centres, chopped parsley, a little minced ham or sausage meat, seasoning as desired, moistening with a little milk, Fill the onions, put them in a greased baking tin, sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of eachgand then put half a slice of bacon on each. Bake slowly until tender and brown. Serve hot. And left-over onions may be served cold, on lettuce leaves, with mayonnaise dressing. French-Fried Onion Rings Three large onions; ¥% cup milk; 4% cup flour; 4% teaspoon baking powder; 1 egg yolk; 1-3rd teaspoon salt; 42 teaspoon melted shortening. Peel onions -cut across into slices % inch thick. Sepafate into rings. Make batter by beating together the milk, flour, baking powder, salt, egg yolk, and melted shortening using an egg beater. Dip the onion rings into thi§ batter and fry until browned in deep fat hot enough to brown a cube of bread in a minute-350 degrees. Drain on crumpled paper towels, dust with salt and serve, with fish or baked tomatoes. Alternatively, the onion rings may ‘be dipped first in flour and then in milk, and dropped into deep smoking hot fat. They are cooked in 3 to 4 minutes.. Take up with perforated spoon, drain and serve. f Scalloped Onions . ; Allow 4 hard-boiled eggs to ehaue 3 cupfuls of thick slices of cooked onion. Butter a shallow dish and put in a layer of onions. Pour over some’ good white sauce sprinkled with parsley; cover with slices of egg. Repeat. Top with a thick layer of breadcrumbs, dot with knobs of

butter, and bake in hot oven (375 ‘degrees or regulo hg to'6) till nicely browned. Onions Baked in Milk Slice up sufficient onions, and put them in layers in a buttered casserole sprinkling each layer with a little flour, or breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Put dots of butter over the top, and cover the whole with hot milk. Cover with lid and bake until tender in a slow ovenabout 1% hours. Onion Cheese Pie Americans use 142 cups fine soda cracker crumbs for the bottom crust blended with % cup melted butter, and pressed evenly into a buttered deep Pie plate. We may substitute a cooked pieshell. Two and a half cups onion sliced thin; 144 cups milk; 1 teaspoon salt;

lAlb. cheese (finely sliced); 2 table. spoons butter or fat; 3 eggs slightly beaten; 14 teaspoon pepper. Fry onions in butter or fat till lightly browned. Place upon the crust in ‘pie plate. Heat milk, slowly add to the eggs, stirring. Add salt, pepper and cheese, Reheat, and when cheese is melted,’ pour. over onions. Bake in slow oven 325 degrees (regulo 3 to 4) for 40 to 45 minutes or until set. Serve hot as a main dish, Onion Shortcake Line a pie plate with short pastry, Slice 6 medium onions, sprinkle with salt, and add to 2 tablespoons melted butter or cod-fat in frying pan. Cover and simmer gently, stirring, till soft, but not brown. Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and let cook. Mix half a lightly beaten egg with 4% cup milk and pour over onions. Cook a minute,.pour into pie plate, bake about. half an hour in a hot oven. The other half egg can be used in pastry. ’ Onion Pudding Line basin with suet crust. Fill with finely cut onions. Sprinkle with paprika, grated: nutmeg, cinnamon, curry powder, chopped parsley, chopped sage, a little salt.. Put a dab of butter in, cover with suet crust, cover with greased paper and steam for three hours. Serve with tomato sauce. Onion Cheesies Cook sufficient large onions, whole, until just tender. .Drain, and place in shallow baking dish. Cut a wide cross in the top of each, sprinkle in a few drops of thick chutney or sauce, and a speck of pepper and salt. Then press about 2 tablespoons of grated processed cheese into each cross, and bake in fairly hot oven until cheese is melted and golden brown-about 30 to 40 minutes,