How to cook young onions so that they melt?
I was at a restaurant yesterday and I was surprised to get young onions (sorry for the direct translation from French oignon nouveau en botte - I added a picture below) cooked as whole, but melting once they are cut.
What I got on the plate was just the head (without the green part), cooked but not fried/braised (the head was white). When cutting it, the layers fell apart and the taste was almost sweet, without any aggressive onion taste. If I did not look closely at what I was eating I could miss the fact that it was an onion.
What would be the right approach to cook an onion like this? Boil it and then sauté? Cook it in butter for a long time at a low temperature?
Best Answer
I usually steam them until they are soft in bulk and then store them in fridge. When I need to use them I just throw on butter. I don't use much salt when steaming but I always taste the green part. If it have this spicy (but not oniony) taste I brisk the heads in cold water for a second and then put them on steam (I don't keep them in the steamer from the beginning).
Usually keeping vegetables cold or even freeze them for a short while will bring the sweet taste.
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How do you cook onions to melt them?
Preheat to 450\xb0F. Toss onions, oil, butter, sage (or thyme), salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread in a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan (don't use glass or ceramic, which might shatter). Roast, turning once, until browned on both sides, 30 to 35 minutes total.How do you liquify onions?
Points to rememberHow long does it take for onions to melt?
Around 10 Minutes: Onions will start to soften and turn translucent in spots. They will release a lot of liquid into the pan. Around 20 Minutes: Onions will be very soft and starting to break down. Some onions will start to show spots of caramelization and you may see some fond starting to build up in the pan.How long boil onions soften?
Peel onions, leaving them whole. Place peeled onions in a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until onions are soft and tender but not falling apart (about 45 minutes, depending on size of the onions).Melted onions - The Best Holiday Side Dishes
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Answer 2
Oignons nouveaux, aka green onions, are typically cooked low and slow in a dutch oven with butter or [olive] oil. When you're cooking them (and onions in general), salt them early - salting the onions will help get rid of that "oniony" taste and will let you taste their natural sweetness.
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