Too many onions!

10 years ago

Through a series of miscommunications, I now have 15 lbs of yellow onions in the house.

I know I can make onion soup and enough of Ina Gartens fried onion dip to cause my cardiologist to triple my Lipitor prescription..... but I need some other ideas. The menfolk here are not as fond of onion soup as I am, so I will have to end up freezing at least part of a batch.

What would you make to put a dent in to the supply before they start to get nasty and I have to throw them out. I am open to almost any suggestion - side dish, salad or main course.

Help a fellow CF-er out here please!

Thanks
Alexa

Comments (15)

Jasdip
10 years ago
I couldn't turn down the price of a 10-lb bag of onions not long ago, so I too had a lot of onions, along with what I already had in my frig.

Baked in a dish and drizzled with soy sauce and butter/oil is delicious. I think bbstx posted that recipe a while ago.

I always roast them along with carrots, potatoes, parsnips, brussels sprouts etc.

Creamed onions as a side dish. I've never made it, but I sure remember liking it as a teenager at my aunt's house.

Members here caremalize a bunch of them then freeze for future use. Again, I've never done it, but it's intrigued me.
chase_gw
10 years ago
Alex, I was faced with something similar a while back and someone suggested dicing and freezing in small freezer bags.

I did and used them, more than successfully, in every imaginable dish from sauces, to meatloaf, to soups......really worked well. and was oh so handy!
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craftyrn
10 years ago
Do you do any canning? I do sliced pickled onions using the recipe for a bread & butter pickle-- & there's Ann T posted recipe for Parmesan Creamed onions that's unbelievably good .

And a marmalade keeps quite well in refrig -- heck make it up as Holiday gifts-- just be sure to tell people it must be refrigerated.
Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Condiments,Chutneys & Salsas

Onion Marmalade
===============

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced ( sliced root end to tip so they hold form
better) yellow onion (about 2 small onions)
1/2 c water or orange juice
3-6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried chile flakes
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

.
Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the
onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to
soften but not brown, about 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, the
sugar and chile flakes. Cook the onions until almost all the
liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add the
apple cider vinegar and simmer until the marmalade is thick,
stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and
cool
ruthanna_gw
10 years ago
This recipe from Eileen uses lots of onions. Notes are hers but I agree about not omitting the anchovies. Here's the recipe, just as she wrote it, including the anchovy warning. I've made it many times over the years - sometimes as an appetizer and sometimes as a main dish.

SELVAGGIO'S ONION PIE - Eileen L - CF

2 frozen pizza doughs, brought to room temperature
3 to 4 lbs. of onions, sliced thin (I use Vidalia)
1 cup green olives with pimento (NOT pits), chopped
1/2 cup olive oil (the better the brand the better the recipe)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup raisins
4 anchovies, chopped
1 cup pignoli nuts (pine nuts)
Pepper to taste

In a very large pan put olive oil, saute onions until very soft...don't caramelize...add remaining ingredients and cook to combine.

Take one dough and place in a lightly olive oiled pan (Sicilian pie style). Place the onion mixture on top of dough; now take the remaining dough and put on top...pinch sides closed as best can be done. Poke a few holes in the top for venting. Slather the top with olive oil and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ANCHOVY HATERS ALERT: DON'T omit this. It's crucial to the taste, yet it melts and I swear you'll NEVER taste it! I HATE ANCHOVIES!!! Yet I can eat this with NO problem!!!

This post was edited by ruthanna on Sun, Dec 29, 13 at 13:30
mississaugamom
10 years ago
Why not caramelize a large batch and freeze in smaller batches? They can be added to soups, chili, omelettes, pot roast etc. and will have saved you a step in the meantime.

Other ready to make now dishes include fajitas, spaghetti sauce, sausages with peppers and onions, quiche, creamed onions, beef stew.....

I love caramelized onions and add them to my meatloaf, top my burgers with them and often eat them as a side dish with sauteed peppers.

Hope this helps!
momj47
10 years ago
I have an alligator chopper, I chop the extra ones and put an onion's worth of them in baggies in the freezer. It's wonderful to be able to grab a bag when you need onions for a recipe. You'll be set for the winter with all those onions.
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
10 years ago
Crock pot method if you have one. I learned that here. Recently i bought onions and so did DH. He thought we were out but i had them downstairs in cooler storage...
Easy and no need to fuss and stir and check. Freezes well in small zip-locks.
Having some tonight with a quick leek, olive, onion, and salmon pasta dish.
jimster
10 years ago
My idea is much like Sharon's but carried one step further. Get a good amount of carrots and celery to combine with onions and make a large batch of mirepoix which, frozen in small portions, would simplify brazing or making soup or sauces by eliminating some tedious prep work. There are innumerable dishes which can be made with mirepoix.

I've suggest this before but haven't done it myself yet. But I will. I still think it's a good idea.

Jim
caliloo
Original Author
10 years ago
Some excellent ideas everyone! Thank you so much!

It is going to snow again tomorrow, so since I will be chopping onions for Chicken Paprikash, I am perfectly happy to chop some extra and freeze in small bags. I like the ide of freezing them with pre-prepped carrots and celery too. Of course the crock pot can be going to caramelize batch too.

My house is going to smell AMAZING tomorrow! LOL!

Thanks again!
Alexa
dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
10 years ago
You never have enough onion powder.

Most onion cultivars are about 89% water. Dehydrate them and blend them into powder. Takes very little space, and stores forever unrefrigerated.

dcarch
pkramer60
10 years ago
You can also store then in a very cool, dry area with a towel over them. Try to space them out and they should hold for a good number of weeks.

I went through 6 pounds this weekend making beef rouladen (roll ups with bacon and onion) and enough goulash to can 6 quarts for fast dinners. What can I say, it snowed all weekend, so I cooked.

So chop, dice, slice and caramelize for future meals made easier.
pkramer60
10 years ago
Duplicate post removed. PK

This post was edited by pkramer on Tue, Dec 17, 13 at 12:10
laceyvail 6A, WV
10 years ago
This storage method sounds too good to be true, but I've done it for years and my neighbor who told me about it has done it for more years than I have. Just put them where they will freeze. I keep mine in the barn--temps here get as low as 10 degrees--and bring them in as you need them. They keep until spring.
cookebook
10 years ago
The crockpot method is easy. Chop as many as you want and top with a stick of butter. I haven't done that in a while but it sure was handy having them in the freezer.
Jasdip
10 years ago
Laceyvail, I can't get your suggestion out of my head :)
I'm trying to picture whole frozen onions that are edible. Not the chopped/frozen type.

My onions will sometimes freeze in the crisper. I thought of this post a few minutes ago as I pulled 3 soft onions from the frig that were mushy. They got frozen. I wouldn't use them in my dish so tossed them in the green bin.

Too many onions!

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Jasdip

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Too many onions!

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