This Sauce Uses Every Part of the Green Onion, Even the Roots.
I’ve seen recipes that require the green portion of green onions and I’ve seen recipes that require the white portion of green onions, but I’ve never seen recipes that use the thin fibrous roots of scallions. (Until now, because I’m going to write one.) The small white onion strings are edible and make a great crunchy side dish.
This is part of the Lifehacker Eating Trash With Claire series in which Claire Lower convinces you to turn your kitchen waste into something edible and tasty.
If you add roots, chives have three edible parts that work for slightly different purposes. The green part is quite soft, but still bulbous – perfect for garnishing or adding to fresh salads. The white part is a little more abrasive and is best softened by browning a little. The roots also have a bit of an onion flavor, and when fried, they turn into crispy little golden strands; they just need to be washed well because they are literally made of dirt.
Using all three servings of these ubiquitous and very cheap flavored onions, I was able to make a summer savory onion sauce without losing any of the product. To make it yourself, you will need:
- 1 bunch of green onions
- 1 tablespoon butter or schmalts
- Salt
- 1 glass of sour cream
- 3 ounces cream cheese
Wash the onions thoroughly, paying particular attention to the roots. Tear off the roots, set them aside, then separate the green part of the green onion from the white part of the green onion. Chop both portions finely and leave the herbs. Season the white portion with salt, then sauté the slices in one tablespoon of oil over medium to high heat until tender. Drain the water onto paper towels, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan.
Using a food processor, hand blender, or “regular” blender, combine the sour cream and cream cheese. Add both parts of the onion and beat until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, refrigerate and heat remaining oil over high heat. Add roots and cook until golden and crispy. Dry them with paper towels, season with salt and place them in a nice nest on top of your sauce. You can of course place them on anything other than flop, but I’m not sure why you want this.