Onions n salt (but not necessarily together)

[wowie]

Cooked or Raw, Sweet Onions Have it All

Want to know the difference between regular and sweet onions? Regular or “dry” onions are small and pungent, and they make you cry when you chop them. Sweet onions like Walla Walla, Vidalia, Maui, Carzalia, Sweetie Sweet, Oso Sweet, Sweet Imperial and Glennville are fresher, milder, gentler, sweeter, tear–free, delicious and healthful. Generally available all year round, sweet onions are at their peak this month.

Because sweet onions are high in water and sugar content they require more care when storing, so treat them gently to avoid bruising. Store them away from potatoes. Generally, sweet onions will keep for four to six weeks or longer. Cut onions should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated. Here are a few ways to store sweet onions:

IN THE REFRIGERATOR: Store in a single layer in the vegetable bin on paper towels. Or, for longer storage, wrap in foil.

IN PANTYHOSE: Take a leg from a pair of clean, sheer pantyhose, drop an onion into the foot, tie a knot and repeat as necessary. Hang in a cool, dry and well–ventilated area. Cut just below the knot when ready to use.

ON RACKS OR SCREENS: Place on elevated racks or screens, not touching, in a cool area.

IN THE FREEZER: For long–term storage, sweet onions can be frozen, but they should be used only for cooking because their texture changes when frozen. Chop, place on a cookie sheet and put sheet in the freezer. When frozen, store in freezer containers or bags. To store whole onions, peel, wash, core and freeze in a freezer–proof container or bag.

DRYING: Chop and dry in the oven, using the lowest setting. Remove when thoroughly dry but not brown. Store onions at room temperature in airtight containers.

Sweet Onion Casserole

1 cup crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz or Club)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, separated
1 pound sweet onions, sliced and separated
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt 1/4 cup butter and combine with crackers. Pat cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8–inch square baking dish. Sauté onions in 1/4 cup butter or margarine; pour over crumbs. Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper; pour over onions. Top with shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Servings: 6.

Sweet Onion and Orange Salad

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
6 navel oranges, peeled and sliced about 1/4–inch thick
1 medium sweet onion, sliced about 1/4–inch thick
2 tablespoons fresh mint, shredded

Mix vinegar with salt and whisk in olive oil. Set vinaigrette aside. Up to 2 hours before serving, make a bed of orange slices on a serving platter, reserving any juices that have been released while slicing. Separate the onion slices into rings; scatter over orange slices. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until 1/2 hour before serving. Whisk reserved orange juice into reserved vinaigrette. Just before serving, pour vinaigrette over onions and oranges. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle with mint.

Servings: 12.

---

To Salt or Not to Salt

By Elizabeth Yarnell
GloriousOnePotMeals.com
 
Monday, September 10, 2007

It’s no wonder that salt has gotten a bad reputation lately. We hear salt blamed for everything from heart problems to excess weight to that uncomfortable bloated feeling. We see the term “low-sodium” so often applied to diet plans or products that we believe we must avoid or at least decrease our salt intake in order to be healthy. But is this really true? Not exactly. After all, salt is essential for healthy digestion, balancing internal fluid levels in the body to prevent swelling, and proper functioning of the nervous system. And did you know that adequate salt levels are a factor in getting a good night’s sleep and for preventing muscle cramps? Without salt, calcium absorption is hindered, leading to osteoporosis. Salt even plays a vital role in sexuality and a healthy libido. But here’s the catch: We’re not talking about regular old table salt. Table salt, the kind that is ubiquitous in shakers on restaurant tables and in pantries across this country, has been so processed and refined that it is devoid of nutritional benefits. Further, it can contain additives such as aluminum, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and other desiccants to keep it smooth-flowing and clump-free. Even though iodine, a necessary nutrient to prevent hyperthyroidism and other diseases, has been added to table salt for almost a century, it is usually available in adequate amounts through other foods we eat because it is present in the soil where our food is grown. In the U.S., only the Great Lakes area has iodine-deficient soils that might warrant iodine supplementation for those communities. Most of us do not need iodine added to our daily salt. Common table salt can contribute to heart disease, overload internal organs and exacerbate hypertension. Some researchers believe it is actually toxic to humans and animals. Some even call it a poison. Sea salt, on the other hand, can contain some 80 or so minerals and trace elements that contribute to overall health as well as fulfilling the body’s need for beneficial sodium. Each sea salt tastes unique, according to where it is harvested. Salt connoisseurship is a fun new hobby that is catching on as awareness grows of the vast differences between industrially manipulated table salt and the restorative properties and savory flavors of sea salts. Simply substituting sea salt for your regular table salt can result in a multitude of health benefits. You may find that you use less salt overall to achieve a pleasing taste because sea salt typically has larger crystals and a more intense flavor. Use it in cooking, on raw produce, on popcorn… anywhere you typically crave a salty sensation. It is especially pleasant when added at or near the end of the cooking process, or at the moment of serving.

Comments

[viggosparadise.livejournal.com]

Hello, the onion Casserole is that a side dish? By the way I made fried Green Tomatoes yesterday. Did not come out. =(

[wwowie.livejournal.com]

I'd make the Onion Casserole as a side dish. :)

Sorry about the tomatoes. I made some Saturday evening that were delicious.

[gondorbunny.livejournal.com]

Mmmm. I love Vidalia onions. Hubby just made some homemade French Onion soup a week or so ago. Soooo yummy.

I'll have to show him this casserole recipe. Sounds like something right up his alley!

[wwowie.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you make it and how it turns out!

[wyepeep.livejournal.com]

Could you post your hubby's French Onion soup recipe??

[pusspower.livejournal.com]

Damn, that casserole sounds good. Much like Pillsbury products, recipes with Ritz crackers are always so good.

[wwowie.livejournal.com]

Any thing with Ritz crackers is always good. It's that buttery taste. Yum.

[wyepeep.livejournal.com]

Sounds yummy. It was good to read about sea salt. I have been using it for a few years now. I get mine from the Mediterranean.