Onion varieties and their uses

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Onion varieties and their usesOnions are the main spice plant widely consumed in Europe and Asia. It is used in food, fresh and processed.

The underground part of the plant - the onion and the aboveground part - the feather, which are used as a seasoning for various dishes (except for sweet ones), are added to marinades, pickles, canned food, sausages are edible. Onions can be dried, cooked, sautéed, pickled. It is widely used in the food and canning industry. Onions contain nitrogenous substances, sugar, fiber, ash, fats. In addition, there are many vitamins and phytoncides in the bulbs and especially in the leaves (they belong to the group of antibiotics). The specific smell of onions is due to the presence of an essential oil containing sulfur. Onions have disinfecting (bactericidal) and antiscorbutic properties. Eating onions increases appetite, increases the secretion of gastric juice, which promotes better absorption of food, improves the activity of the liver and gall bladder.

More than 400 types of onions are known, common in China, Japan, Central Asia, Europe, America, Africa. The bow was already known in Ancient Egypt. It was grown everywhere, it was included in the diets of the pyramid builders. In ancient Greece, he was credited with a divine origin, and bulbs were laid on his sculptures at the holidays dedicated to the god Pan, the patron of nature. Onions were also widely cultivated in ancient Rome, where they were considered one of the most valuable medicinal and food plants.

The ancient Germans crowned brave warriors who distinguished themselves in battles with onion flowers. In Russia, from time immemorial, onions have been a widespread food product and a universal medicine, as the saying goes: "Onions from seven ailments." In the former USSR, onions are mainly grown in the Non-Black Earth Zone of the RSFSR, in the Ukraine, the North Caucasus, the Transcaucasia, and the republics of Central Asia. The most famous are: onions, garlic, leeks, batun onions, tiered onions, shallots, chives, or chives, slimes, or drooping onions; from wild - Altai onion and bear onion, or wild garlic.

Bulb onions

Bulb onion is a biennial herb with succulent tubular leaves covered with a waxy coating, white flowers in an umbrella-shaped inflorescence and a well-formed bulb, the shape of which, depending on the variety, can be flat, oval, cone-shaped, spheroid, and the color of the upper scales (shirt) - from white to purple in different shades. The most common type, giving turnip bulb and feather leaves. Homeland - Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan. Onions came to Europe thanks to the Romans, from whom other European peoples learned to cultivate it. The bulbs contain proteins, carbohydrates (9.8%), organic acids (citric, malic), mineral salts (18 mg% sodium, 175 mg% potassium, 58 mg% phosphorus, 31 mg% calcium, etc.), vitamins B1 , B6, PP, C (10 mg%). By taste, onion varieties are divided into sharp, semi-sharp and sweet.

Sharp bow

Spicy onions contain more dry matter, essential oils (irritate the mucous membrane of the eyes) and glycosides, have a pungent taste that lasts a long time in the mouth. It is best used for sauces, soups, fish, meat, vegetable, rice dishes and for filling in pies. The best varieties: Strigunovsky, Timiryazevsky, Arzamassky, Bessonovsky, Rostovsky, Spassky, etc.

Half-sharp bow

Semi-hot onions contain more moisture, less essential oils, taste the same as spicy ones. It is used fresh - with salads, cold appetizers. The best varieties: Myachkovsky, Belozersky, Tsitaussky, Samarkandsky, Ufimsky, etc.

Sweet onion

Sweet onions contain a lot of moisture, so they are the most juicy and sweet in taste.It is used fresh, for salads. The best varieties: Kaba yellow, Spanish 313, Krasnodar G-35, Bermuda white, Dungan, etc.

Semi-sharp and spicy onions

Semi-sharp and sharp onion varieties are grown mainly in the middle lane and in the north, sweet and semi-sharp varieties (Spanish, Kaba, etc.) - mainly in the south of the country, since in the middle lane, and even more so in the north, they do not have time to ripen. Onions are harvested in autumn in dry weather, when the leaves begin to wither. The onion is pulled out, the leaves are cut off, leaving the neck; unripe onions are dried in a dry and warm room. Store onions at temperatures between 0 ° C and 3 ° C and relative humidity of 70-75%. Spicy onion varieties are well stored throughout the winter until the new harvest in any cool dry room and even in normal household conditions; it is only necessary to dry it well before that. A mature bulb is covered with dry scales on top, which protect it from drying out and damage. The more dry scales on the bulb and the tighter they fit it, the better the onion is preserved. Fresh sweet onions are stored worse than semi-sweet and spicy ones. Onions can be preserved and dried well.

Onion feather

Onion varieties and their uses
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The green onion-feather, which is the leaves of onions, is widely used. The best varieties of onions from which the feather onion is obtained are Arzamassky, Bessonovsky, Spassky. Green onions contain 30 mg% vitamin C and carotene. Green onions can be grown all year round - this is their great value. It is used in food fresh, often as a filling. The best green onions are obtained from onion sets, that is, small onion bulbs. Green onions are harvested when the leaves reach a length of 35-40 cm. It should be stored in a cool room, in summer - no more than 3 days, as it quickly withers and turns yellow. At a temperature of 0 ° C, green onions can be stored without changing their appearance and taste for up to 10 days. When cutting onions, it is recommended to rinse the knife more often with cold water - this makes the eyes less watery.

Leek

Leek, pearl onion, pearl onion are a biennial plant with long, flat green leaves and a white, thickened false stem (stalk), which is the lower part of the leaves, tightly adjacent to each other. The flowers are whitish, less often pinkish, collected in large globular umbrellas. Homeland - the eastern region of the Mediterranean. Widely distributed in European countries; in the former USSR - mainly in the south of the European part and in the Caucasus.

Leeks and uncoated young leaves are eaten, which contain up to 2% protein, 6.5% carbohydrates, up to 1.5% fiber, up to 20 mg% of essential oils, vitamins B1, B6, PP, carotene, up to 40 mg% vitamin C. Leeks have a delicate aroma and a more subtle pleasant and sweet taste than onions. It is especially useful in winter and early spring, when there is a shortage of fresh vegetables (harvest season is from April to May and from September to December). When the weather is favorable, leeks can be harvested throughout the winter.

This onion is used for the preparation of salads, sauces, boiled - for flavoring meat and especially vegetable (cabbage, potato, sorrel, spinach, carrot, nettle) soups and as a side dish for fish and meat dishes. Leeks can be eaten fresh, chopped and seasoned with vegetable oil. A very tasty salad made from onions, chopped into small rings and mixed with an equal amount of shredded apples or cabbage and carrots grated on a fine grater with the addition of herbs (lemon balm, tarragon, basil) and seasoned with mayonnaise. Leek stalks are stewed in a little water, vinegar or lemon juice, butter are added and eaten hot. Leek stew can also be seasoned mayonnaise, add parsley, dill and celery or bake with white sauce, or serve with grated cheese.Finely chopped leek leaves are densely sprinkled with fish, prepared for frying, stewing or baking. Leeks are used in the canning and food concentrate industries; pickled onion is also produced in the form of canned food; it is also included in dry and fresh-frozen vegetable mixtures. Store the leeks buried in the sand at a temperature of 0-1 ° C; cut leaves can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. The best varieties: Bulgarian (late) and Karantansky (early).

Onion

Batun onion, Tartar onion, fisty onion, winter onion, sand onion is a perennial strongly branching plant with fistulous leaves, yellowish flowers, which does not form bulbs. It is widely cultivated in the Far East, Siberia, China, Japan and Korea, as well as in many European countries and North America. They eat young fistular green leaves, pointed in the upper part, which in appearance and taste are close to onion leaves, but somewhat coarser than them. Batun is distinguished by a high content of vitamin C in the leaves (up to 105 mg%), it also contains vitamins B1, B2, D, PP, phosphorus and copper salts, up to 9.48%: dry matter, 2.3% sugar. It is frost-hardy, overwinters outdoors and is valued as the earliest onion.

The largest harvest of feathers is harvested in late April - early May, followed by another 2-3 harvests during the summer, but no later than the first half of August, otherwise it will have a bad effect on the harvest next year. Leaves coarse quickly, so harvest should be done when young. Leaves are not subject to long-term storage. The best variety is Gribovsky 21, in which the plants are highly branching, the leaves are long, juicy, tender, and retain their marketable qualities for a long time in spring. Onion leaves can be salted for winter consumption, used for salads and side dishes.

Tiered bow

The multi-tiered onion is a perennial plant with elongated but ovoid underground bulbs (up to 30-40) and wide tubular leaves. On flower stems, instead of flowers, up to 5 tiers of air bulbs (bulbs) of an oval or oval-elongated shape, covered with dense dry scales of brown-yellow or dark purple color, are formed. The multi-tiered onion is very winter-hardy, widespread in areas with a short growing season (Siberia, northern regions of the European part of Russia, Leningrad region). All organs of the plant have a pungent taste. Basal bulbs contain up to 18% sugars, proteins and other substances. The leaves of multi-tiered onions contain about 4% sugar and more than 2% protein. The lower tubular leaves, bulbs and bulbs are eaten. The bulbs can be pickled and salted, the bulbs are good fried. The best varieties: Gribovsky 38 and Odessa winter 12.

Shallot

Onion varieties and their uses
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Shallots, charlottes, shrike is a biennial plant with flattened tubular thin leaves and small dense bulbs (up to 25-30), covered with scales of purple, yellow or white color, delicate, mild taste. Grown in Europe and America; in the former USSR - mainly in the southern regions. The bulbs contain up to 13% sugars (about 5.5% in the leaves), up to 13 mg% vitamin C. Young bulbs and leaves are used for food, fresh (lettuce) and pickled. It is frost-hardy, so it is planted before winter, in spring it gives a harvest early. Shallots are not used for forcing green feathers in winter, as they have a very deep dormant period and are well stored throughout the year. In the south, bulbs are stored in attics, where they freeze and thaw repeatedly in winter, and freezing at -20 ° C does not affect their taste.

Chives

Chives, chives, skoroda, rocambol, tribulka are a perennial plant with small subulate fistulate leaves and oblong-ovoid small bulbs covered with brown scales. Homeland - Italy. Grown in Western Europe, Asia (except for its southern part), North America; in the former USSR - in small numbers throughout the entire territory, especially in Ukraine.It is bred mainly for the sake of delicate, juicy green leaves, which contain up to 105 mg% vitamin C, 5.2 mg% carotene, 3% sugar. The leaves are used for making salads, sauces, omelets, meat dishes, for filling pies, and are salted. Onions should not be cooked, it should be eaten fresh, sprinkle with finely chopped onions on the finished dish. Suitable for forcing on greens in winter. Hardy, gives early greens that can be cut several times during the season. Store, like onions, in dry rooms. The best varieties are Moscow and Siberian.
Slime onion, drooping onion is a perennial plant with flat, smooth leaves and conical bulbs, attached 1-2 to the rhizome. Distributed in Siberia, Central Asia, Kazakhstan. Refers to salad onions, contains a lot of vitamin C - up to 200 mg%, mineral salts, including iron salts, therefore, it is especially useful for anemia. Young leaves are used fresh, suitable for pickling. Since this type of onion is characterized by early spring growth, it can be consumed as early as May; leaves are cut off 4-5 times per season.

Altai bow

Altai onion, mountain onion is a perennial plant with fisty leaves and a bulb up to 5 cm in diameter with reddish-brown thick, fleshy scales. Distributed in Siberia, Central Asia. A wild relative of the batun onion. The bases of the leaves of the Altai onion are sweet, contain up to 4% sugar. It is eaten boiled and fried.

Chakhovsky A.I. Food culture


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