Biggest Bag of Spanish Onions!

[Jade Emperor]

Seasons Greetings to all my GC family!
A friend of mine works for a large fruit and vegetable supplier, mostly to restaurants etc.
For Christmas, he gave us a caterer’s sized bag of red onions. Now, I know that there are best for salad and best used raw.
Also, being a chef in a different lifetime, I know that I would not use them in place of a white or yellow onion.
I ask you, though, CAN I?
Thoughts?

 

[blissful]

I would cook them as needed and they won't be that different from yellow or white onions. Dehydrate them, can them, freeze them diced, pickle them and refrigerate. I sure wouldn't let them go to waste.

 

[taxlady]

Seasons Greetings to all my GC family!
A friend of mine works for a large fruit and vegetable supplier, mostly to restaurants etc.
For Christmas, he gave us a caterer’s sized bag of red onions. Now, I know that there are best for salad and best used raw.
Also, being a chef in a different lifetime, I know that I would not use them in place of a white or yellow onion.
I ask you, though, CAN I?
Thoughts?

I see a lot of recipes that call for red onions in places where I would definitely use yellow or white. I find them a little sweeter and a bit wimpier in onion flavour, which can be a problem some of the time, but it's usually okay. But, I'm weird. I love red onions for salad, but I do find them too sweet in some things. For example, I really like this onion soup, but it calls for red onions. I find that too sweet (told you I'm weird). I substitute yellow onions.

Tuscan Onion Soup (Carabaccia) Recipe on Food52

The Tuscans will tell you they invented onion soup—one of the best-known versions of this soup, carabaccia, was jotted down in a 1500s cookbook. Serve it with or without the eggs, but I think they add great sustenance to this otherwise very simple soup. If you want richer flavor, you can use...

food52.com

 

[Silversage]

For the most part, onions of all types are interchangeable. There are exceptions. For example, red onions can turn grey when cooked in some dishes. Sweet onions like Vidaias or Walla Wallas can turn too sweet when slow cooked to make onion soup. Green onions (sccallions) lose most of their flavor when cooked and are bettter used after the cooking.

However, if I had an overabundance of red onions, I would certainly pickle a bunch of them!!! Pickled red onions have a million uses!!!

 

[Aunt Bea]

Experiment and share!

Try making a classic French onion soup, Pissaladière, red onion slaw, stuffed with bread crumbs, sausage etc…

 

[Badjak]

Good ideas all!

I would just use them in any recipe, even when it asks for brown or white or whatever onion. If too sweet, add a little lemon juice or vinegar.

They last quite a long time as well, so there is no real hurry
(I grew/grow onions and was still eating the old ones close to harvesting the new ones)

 

[dragnlaw]

I honestly do not know what I would do with a large bag like that! LOL Walk around the neighbourhood and pass out a few!

I agree all onions can basically be subbed for each other.
I also agree with taxy - many onions become too sweet - I specifically think about a French Onion Soup that I once made - was so sweet I could hardly eat it.

But I'm curious, you received Red Onions but the title says Spanish Onions, I don't think they are the same? Was it an 'oops'?

 

[Linda0818]

I honestly do not know what I would do with a large bag like that! LOL Walk around the neighbourhood and pass out a few!

I agree all onions can basically be subbed for each other.
I also agree with taxy - many onions become too sweet - I specifically think about a French Onion Soup that I once made - was so sweet I could hardly eat it.

But I'm curious, you received Red Onions but the title says Spanish Onions, I don't think they are the same? Was it an 'oops'?

I was thinking the same thing. But then I did a search on Spanish onions and found this:

Spanish onions are large, sweet, and juicy, with colour ranging from yellow to red. Their flavour is mild, and they are used raw and sliced for salads and sandwiches and as a garnish.

 

[Linda0818]

Seasons Greetings to all my GC family!
A friend of mine works for a large fruit and vegetable supplier, mostly to restaurants etc.
For Christmas, he gave us a caterer’s sized bag of red onions. Now, I know that there are best for salad and best used raw.
Also, being a chef in a different lifetime, I know that I would not use them in place of a white or yellow onion.
I ask you, though, CAN I?
Thoughts?

Have you ever had baked whole onions? Do a search on "baked onions" and there are all kinds of nice recipes. Baked whole onions are delicious.

 

[Badjak]

Have you ever had baked whole onions? Do a search on "baked onions" and there are all kinds of nice recipes. Baked whole onions are delicious.

This!
And an onion curry made with whole onions

 

[jennyema]

I’d make French onion soup first.

id carmelize extra and freeze

sausage with peppers and onions

 

[GotGarlic]

If you can get sumac there, try sumac onion salad. I've been meaning to make it, although I haven't yet.

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sumac-onions-a-recipe-by-yotam-ottolenghi

 

[taxlady]

If you can get sumac there, try sumac onion salad. I've been meaning to make it, although I haven't yet.

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/sumac-onions-a-recipe-by-yotam-ottolenghi

That sounds delicious as well as easy. Have you tried this? I realize you wrote that you haven't made it yet.

I have saved the recipe, since I recently bought some sumac. I think I know where I put it.

 

[GotGarlic]

That sounds delicious as well as easy. Have you tried this? I realize you wrote that you haven't made it yet.

I have saved the recipe, since I recently bought some sumac. I think I know where I put it.

I've had sumac onions in chicken shawarma from the Mediterranean grocery store near me, although I'm not sure exactly which ingredients they include. I'll try to remember to ask next time I'm there.

 

[Jade Emperor]

Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions! I was thinking along the lines of a French onion soup, but now I’m having second thoughts because it sounds like it might be too sweet.
Here down under, we call red onions Spanish.
I really like the sound of the sumac onions and will definitely give that a try and let you all know!!

 

[jennyema]

Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions! I was thinking along the lines of a French onion soup, but now I’m having second thoughts because it sounds like it might be too sweet.
Here down under, we call red onions Spanish.
I really like the sound of the sumac onions and will definitely give that a try and let you all know!!

I really dont think the soup will be too sweet. Red onions arent considered a sweet onion like Vidalia or Walla Walla <- those are too sweet for a proper soup, IMO (though some people prefer them).

Ive made soup with a mixture of red onions and what I consider Spanish onions (large yellow ones) and it came out great.

 

[taxlady]

Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions! I was thinking along the lines of a French onion soup, but now I’m having second thoughts because it sounds like it might be too sweet.
Here down under, we call red onions Spanish.
I really like the sound of the sumac onions and will definitely give that a try and let you all know!!

Make a small batch to find out. It will depend a lot on your personal preferences. Jennyema liked a batch made with red onions. And, as I wrote, I made a batch of an onion soup that is supposed to be made with red onions and found it too sweet.

 

[Badjak]

So...
I had red onions and sumac and just made the recipe posted above.
With lime juice though.

 

[GotGarlic]

So...
I had red onions and sumac and just made the recipe posted above.
With lime juice though.

What do you think of it?

 

[dragnlaw]

Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions! I was thinking along the lines of a French onion soup, but now I’m having second thoughts because it sounds like it might be too sweet.
Here down under, we call red onions Spanish.
I really like the sound of the sumac onions and will definitely give that a try and let you all know!!

You will have to just try it yourself for sure. I have used several different mixes and aside from the one sweet one they were all perfect. You do want a bit of sweetness but not too much.
Try 1 red onion and 1 yellow (regular cooking kind). Then you could try 1 red and 1 'spanish' (yellow spanish). Or any of the others large milder onions.

You will eventually find the mix that you like by the time you get to the end of the bag.

Seriously, carmelize, bag in 1 cup measures and freeze. Now you have the base to throw into anything that comes up - onion & mushroom gravy/sauce - French onion soup - etc.

Your quickie onion soup would be to heat some beef stock, throw in a cup of onions (the caramelized frozen ones). Heat thru, toss on some croutons, grated cheese, run under broiler.... instant lunch for 2.