An Onion a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 902, 16 November 1956, Page 32

An Onion a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

WAS a little startled recently to read in a newspaper headline, "The Meek Onion!" Somehow one had thought of onions as flavoursome and enticing (when fried), and perhaps even at times a little aggressive, but hardly meek! It still does not seem to me an appropriate adjective-although the Biblical application of meek implies strength. History shows us that the real strength of the onion lies in its healthfulness, particularly when raw; and modern research carried out in America and Russia has proved much ancient knowledge to be quite true. The vapour from raw, cut-up onions is now acknowledged to be a germ-killer; and chewing raw onions is often a great help in the case of bad colds or sore throat. One of grandmother’s remedies for whooping coughor any bad cough-was to cut a large onion in slices and put these in a basin with alternate layers of brown sugar. Cover with a plate and leave for some hours, and take a dessertspoon of the resultant juice whenever the cough is troublesome. Never mind the "antisocial odour." The relief is more important, Onion Poultices Grandmother’s children were also put toe bed with an onion poultice when they

had a cold-just raw, shredded onion in a linen compress tied around the throat.

A bed-time meal of onion porridge generally accompanied this-onions boiled whole in milk, with a knob of butter, then mashed and slightly thickened with cornflour. Now let us leave the medical aspect of onions and consider some of its palatable aspects. Stuffed Onions This is a favourite savoury dish. Choose good-sized onions, skin them and @immer them for about 5 minutes in galted 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 dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top of each and then put half a slice of bacon on each. Bake slowly until tender and brown. Serve hot. Any left-over onions may be served cold on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing. Onions Baked in Milk Recognised as a really healthful combination. 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 oven-about 114 hours. Onion Cheesies Boil sufficient large onions, whole, until just tender, Drain and place in shallow baking dish. Cut a wide cross in the top of each, sprinkle with 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, 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 ittle mustard. Pop into hot oven or under grill until the cheese melts a little, and serve at once. French-fried Onion Rings Three large onions, 4% cup milk, 14 cup flour, 4% teaspoon baking powder, 1 egg yolk, ¥3 teaspoon salt, 12 teaspoon melted shortening. ‘Peel onions-cut across into slices 44 inch thick. Separate 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 this 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, strain and serve. Scalloped Onions Allow 4 hard-boiled eggs to about 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 5 to 6) till nicely browned. Onion Cheese Pie Americans use 112 cups fine soda cracker crumbs for the bottom crust, blended with 42 cup melted butter and pressed evenly into a buttered deep pie