The onion.

It’s one of those ingredient we take for granted, right? At least I do.

I don’t know what I’d do without them in my cooking.

They’re the foundation of so many dishes.

Use them different ways and it can totally transform the flavour of a dish.

Caramelized onions you have this sweet, sticky, jammy flavour bomb that you can use for soups (and not just french onion) in a dip or spread, or real simple as a topping for any protein.

Pickle them and you’ve got a nice fresh acidic hit to add to salads, tacos in sandwiches, as a finishing touch for rice bowls - so many options.

The list goes on but how amazing is it that one ingredient can be used in so many delicious ways.

It’s also something that can help teach you to be a better cook. Because cooking is so much about practice. About trying and failing until your body starts to pick up on all the nuances and it starts to feel natural.

Making those slices with your knife with ease.

Noticing when temperature isn’t right and adjusting.

Tasting something and knowing what to do to get that seasoning just right.

Yes, you can do all of this and more with a simple onion.

But before we get into a few techniques, let’s dive into the different kinds of onions and a ‘loose’ guide for what you can use each one for. It’s the little things like this that are so good to know to help you make choices with ingredients without having a recipe. And one thing to note, I say ‘loose’ because there really aren’t any rules in cooking and you of course can substitute if you need to but knowing each one’s unique character is alway going to help you choose.

Two more I would add that aren’t on this list but in the ‘family’ are leeks and chives. Leeks are like mix between a sweet and green onion and I use them often in soups, sauces, roasted or grilled. Chives have a milder flavour than the green onion and those I usually save for a garnish or add to marinades.

Okay so now you know your onions, let’s go through 3 simple techniques and how I like to use them:

Caramelized onions:

• 4 large sweet onions, thickly sliced into halfmoon slices

• 4-5 tablespoons butter

• salt & sugar to taste

Add the butter to a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it's melted.  Add the onions and cook for a couple minutes until they turn translucent. Season with salt and a pinch or two of sugar (the sugar is optional but I think it helps to get that beautiful colour) Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until the onions are super soft and turn a deep caramel brown colour, about 30-45 minutes. You want to keep an eye on temperature and stir regularly - too hot and they’ll burn, not hot enough and they won’t get that beautiful colour and jammy texture

Use these for: spooning over meats or fish, adding to soups and sauces (french onion soup yes but they’d be something different for chicken soup, I make this Whisky Salmon Chowder, or this Tawainese beef noodle soup is so good!), over puff pastry for an onion tart, baked with other vegetables, on pizza, in sandwiches…..it goes on and on.

Quick Pickled onions:

I usually use red onions for pickled ones mostly because I love that beautiful colour they turn in the liquid. They just make everything you put them on a little prettier and who doesn’t want that? :) I love these on tacos, in rice bowls, salads, sandwiches, anything you want to add a bright, acidic kick to.

Here’s an easy guideline as far as ratios but please play with this a little and see what you like. Maybe you like more vinegar and less water. Or you want them a little sweeter. Of course you can try different types of vinegar like rice or apple cider. And don’t be afraid to add flavourings like whole peppercorns, a garlic clove, bay leaf or sliced jalapeño. I very rarely measure ingredients, it’s always just about feel and taste. I hope you do the same! The more you make them the easier it is to just know what’s going to work.

• 1 medium red onion

• 1 cup white vinegar

• 1 cup warm water

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 1 large pinch kosher salt

Slice onions into thin halfmoon slices and transfer to a bowl. Add the vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Mix until the sugar and salt dissolve, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using. These will keep in the fridge for a couple weeks.

Fried onions:

Yes, I love a good onion ring but here’s a quick way to have some crispy onions without deep frying.

You can slice the onions into rings or half moon shapes, whatever you like best. I usually cut them anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 an inch thick depending on what you’re using them for.

Toss the onions in some buttermilk or yogurt and let them marinate for a bit (20 minutes is enough). You could add any kind of seasoning to these like my favourite ranch blend from Burlap & Barrel, or garlic powder & paprika, again anything goes!

Dredge them in all purpose flour, brown rice flour or cornmeal and shake off the excess. I put the dredged ones on a cooling rack or plate until I have them all done before moving onto the frying. You’ll want to have your full attention when frying with hot oil so take the time to do this so you’re not stressing about it.

Before you start frying, grab some paper towel for your plate to transfer the finished onions to. Again, it helps to be prepared as anytime you’re working with hot oil you want to be able to just focus on that.

Shallow fry in a couple inches of oil over medium/high heat in a large cast iron or any high walled pan. You want the onions to have lots of space so they get good and crispy so use the biggest pan you have and be sure to do them in batches. *If you have a thermometer, 350* is perfect, I usually go by feel here - if you hold your hand a few inches from your pan you should only be able to hold it there for a few seconds. The other tell tale sign is to test the oil with one onion. Put it into the pan and if the oil starts to bubble right away on the edges of the onion and you hear that instant sizzle, the oil’s at the right temperature.* Fry the onions for a few minutes per side, or until they get nice and browned. Another hot tip is to always flip the onions away from you to lessen the chance of a hot oil splatter.

Transfer the onions to your plate with paper towel or onto a cooling rack (I’ll put a cookie sheet under the cooling rack to catch the oil drips) and season with a sprinkle of salt before serving.

With shallots, I’ll usually just fry these without any coating. They get nice and browned quickly in the pan.

Eat these on their own or as a garnish on any meat, soups, pasta, or steamed or roasted veggies for some extra texture.

How to cut and onion:

Onions are a great to practice your knife skills so here’s a quick video for you with a few of my usual cuts for onions.

Is there a technique or ingredient you want me to feature? Something in particular you’d like to learn that’ll help you cook better? Send me a message! oxo

Message Krista Ettles

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