86-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 5,2001
Onions For Your Health
Onions are one of the most
common cooking ingredients
throughout the world. Texture,
color, and zest add intrigue to all
types of dishes from appetizers
to condiments to main entrees.
Onions not only provide flavor
but also health-promoting phyto
chemicals as well as nutrients.
Onions may help guard
against chronic diseases such as
cataracts, cardiovascular, and
cancer.
With only 30 calories per serv
ing, onions are sodium, fat, and
cholesterol free, and provide die
tary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin 86,
potassium, and other nutrients.
Enjoy these recipes that are
not only good to eat but good for
you.
CARAMELIZED ONIONS
3 pounds yellow onions (6-9)
Cooking spray, as needed
I‘A tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme,
crushed
1 teaspoon dried rosemary,
crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste
Halve and slice onions. Coat
12-inch skillet with cooking
spray. Over medium heat, saute
onions in oil for 15-20 minutes,
stirring occasionally, or until soft
and light golden. Stir in thyme,
rosemary, salt, and pepper. Serve
warm or cover and refrigerate for
up to 5 days. Makes 12 servings.
Serving ideas:
• Wilted Spinach Salad
Toss crisp fresh spinach leaves
with hot caramelized onions,
sundried tomatoes, and pine
nuts. Drizzle with warmed vinai
grette dressing and toss well.
• Enchilada Stack With An
Attitude Layer a com tortilla
with black or pinto beans, diced
bell pepper, dabs of salsa, grated
sharp Cheddar cheese, and a
layer of caramelized onions. Re
peat layering then top with a
third tortilla. Sprinkle with
cheese and bake until hot and
melted.
• Smothered Sea Bass
Poach sea bass or other firm
white fish and serve on a bed of
caramelized onions with a scat
tering of steamed baby carrots
and fresh dill sprigs over all.
HEARTY ONION-VEGGIE
SANDWICH
6 ounces fat-free cream cheese
18 slices multi-grain bread
12 ounces red onion, thinly
sliced
1 cup sliced cucumbers, mari
nated in French dressing
12 crisp lettuce leaves
12 tomato slices
Recipe Topics
If you have recipes for topics listed below, please share them
with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you include ac
curate measurements, a complete list of ingredients, and clear
instructions with each recipe you submit. Be sure to include
your name and address. Recipes should reach our office one
week before the publishing date listed below.
Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming,
P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522.
May
12 Remember Mama’s Cooking
19 Mushrooms, Asparagus, and other spring vegetables
26 Memorial Day Cookout
June
Dairy Recipes From LF’s Drawing Enter Now
6-ounces thinly sliced cheddar
cheese
Vh cups alfalfa sprouts (op
tional)
Spread cream cheese evenly
over six slices bread. Top with
half of the onion slices and all
the cucumbers. Stack with let
tuce leaves, sliced tomato, and a
second slice of bread. Lay Ched
dar over second bread slice, add
sprouts, and remaining onions.
Top with third slice of bread. Cut
sandwich in half and secure with
picks. Makes six servings.
CLASSIC ONION SOUP
8 cups sliced yellow onions
6 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons sugar
2 quarts reduced-sodium
chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
'/: baguette French bread, slic
ed, toasted
Grated Romano cheese
Using large saucepan that
holds at least 4 quarts, cook on
ions over medium heat, stirring
often, in melted butter for 12
minutes or until tender and gold
en brown. Add sugar and cook,
stirring, for one minute. Add
broth, cover and bring to a boil.
Simmer 12 minutes. Season with
salt and pepper. To serve, float
toast on bowl of soup and sprin
kle with cheese. Makes 6 serv
ings.
CREAMY ONION DIP
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
Saute onions in oil over medi
um heat about 3 minutes or until
barely tender. Stir in paprika.
Add onions to sour cream in a
bowl. Add salt and pepper, to
taste. Cover and chill. Makes VA
cups. To serve in onion bowl, cut
off top third of large red onion.
Trim small edge off root end to
make flat support. Peel onion.
Leaving outer two layers intact,
scoop out onion center making a
hollow to hold the dip.
HERB BAKED
ONION BLOOM
1 large onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon dried thyme or ore
gano
'A teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley or paprike, if desired
Cut about '/2-inch off top of
onion; peel onion. Cut onion into
12-16 vertical wedges, leaving
root base intact. Set bloomed
onion on 14xl0-inch foil piece.
Top onion with butter, thyme or
Health benefits have been
peal to people of all ages.
oregano, rosemary, and salt and
pepper, to taste.
Wrap foil around seasoned
bloom and pinch edges together
tightly. Place wrapped onion up
right on pan and bake at 425 de
grees for 30 minutes or until
onion is tender and cooked but
“petals” still have body and
stand upright. If desired, sprin
kle with minced parsley or papri
ka. Baked wrapped onion may
be held in warm location for up
to one hour before serving.
Makes one serving.
Beef Bloom: Top onion bloom
with one cube beef bouillon
(crushed), 1 tablespoon butter,
and '/s teaspoon pepper./
Caramelized Mustard Bloom:
Combine I'A tablespoons prepar
ed mustard with IVi tablespoons
brown sugar, blending until
smooth. Spoon over onion bloom.
Sprinkle with V* teaspoon pep
per.
FRENCH ONION SOUP
2 pounds onions
5 cans beef broth consomme
1 can water
2-3 tablespoons flour
'/: cup butter
/i pound Swiss cheese slices
Croutons or toast
Slice onions into rings. Melt
butter and saute onions until
transparent. Mix flour to coat on
ions. Add broth and water and
bring to a boil. Simmer one hour.
When ready to serve, place soup
in crocks. Cover tops with crou
tons or toast and then cheese.
Place beneath broiler until cheese
melts.
Heidi Miller
Pa. Alternate Dairy Princess
VIDALIA ONION
CASSEROLE
Vi cup butter
3-4 Vidalia onions, sliced 'A-
inch thick slices
IS crackers, crushed
1 can cream of mushroom
soup
Vi cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded sharp cheese,
or cheese of choice
(Turn to Page B 7)
associated with onions for many years. Onion rings ap-
Featured Recipe
Onions are low in calories yet add abundant flavor to a wide
variety of foods. With only 30 calories per serving, onions are
sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide dietary fiber, vita
min C, vitamin 86, potassium, and other key nutrients.
Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have, been associated
with a variety of health benefits. Research shows that onions
may help guard against many chronic diseases. That’s probably
because onions contain generous amounts of a flavonoid called
quercetin. Other sources are tea and apples, but research shows
that absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea
and more than three times that from apples. Studies have
shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular
disease, and cancer.
In addition, onions contain a variety of other naturally occur
ring chemicals known as organosulfrir compounds that have
been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
For recipes using onions, send a stamped, self-addressed en
velope to the National Onion Association, Department A, 822
7th Street, Suite 510, Greeley, CO 80631.
BEST EVER
ONION RINGS
3 large onions (about 9 to 11 ounces each), peeled and
trimmed
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
V* teaspoon salt
Va teaspoon pepper
1 cup non-alcoholic beer
Vegetable oil
Cut onions crosswise into '/2-inch slices; pull apart into rings.
(Refrigerate broken or end pieces for other uses.) Mix flour, pa
prika, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add beer, stirring with
wire whip until foam is gone.
Baked version: Toss onion rings with batter and transfer to
plate, letting excess drip off as you transfer. Heat 1 tablespoon
oil in large nonstick skillet (11- or 12-inch) over medium-high
heat. Place about half the onion rings in single layer in heated
skillet and cook until browned, turning once, about l'/i minutes
on each side. Repeat with remaining onions. Transfer to un
greased shallow baking pans or cookie sheets, arranging in sin
gle layer. Bake at 425 degrees for 6 minutes or until crisp.
Makes 6 servings.
Deep-fried version: Heat at least 2-inches oil in deep-fryer
for 5 to 10 minutes or according to fryer directions. (If fryer has
a temperature adjustment, set it at 375 degrees and heat until
light goes out). Drop batter-coated onion rings into oil (about 10
to 20 at a time). Fry 2 to 4 minutes or until crisp. Drain on
paper towels before serving. Makes 6 servings.
For additional information about onions, visit the National
Onion Association’s Website at www.onions-usa.org.