5 Spring Onion Recipes to Make Before It’s Too Late
So many incredible dishes start with onions. They are an indispensable staple in the kitchen and the basis for stews and soups that have helped us get through the winter. But now spring is the time to trick them with their fresh and flavorful cousins before the season is over.
All onions — leeks, scallions, ramp, green garlic, scallions, and chives, to name just a few — have a similar base flavor to the ubiquitous onion, but their exciting range of intensity, sweetness, and spiciness can accommodate so much. more difficulty in eating. Show them off in these five recipes that bring their taste to the fore.
Green savory pasta primavera
The name of this pasta dish alone defines spring. This primavera paste is very rich in onion, but the citric acid softens the onion flavor without letting it be overpowering. The result is a bright, almost refreshing pasta dish that really has a spring flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Cavatelli or Orecchiette
- 2-3 teaspoons of butter
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced (white and green parts) set aside a small handful for garnish
- 3 green onions, chopped (white and green parts)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup peas
- 1 cup asparagus, coarsely chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 handful chopped parsley
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a large pinch of salt—by pinch I mean a whole claw. (A whole tablespoon, if you want to be precise .) Cook the pasta until al dente, or about two minutes less than the recommended cooking time. Drain, reserving 1 cup for pasta. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a frying pan or saucepan until light brown. Add all your onions – leeks, scallions, scallions, and garlic – and cook for three to five minutes, or until they are soft and fragrant. Add the asparagus and peas and cook until they are light and tender, about seven to eight minutes. Add salt to taste, remembering that pasta water will add salt.
Add pasta, lemon juice and zest, pasta water, and a few hard black pepper flakes or red pepper flakes (or both). After a few minutes over low heat, you should have a light creamy sauce. Serve with plenty of Parmesan, top with freshly chopped green onions and parsley and get ready to enjoy the savory taste.
Leek stewed in oil
Leek may be my favorite allium simply because it can be eaten alone. This recipe pairs caramelized outsides with tender insides and a rich yet sour sauce that hits every note. If you’re looking for a meaty vegetable other than eggplant or artichoke, leeks are your friend.
Ingredients
- 2-3 bulbs, the thicker the better
- 2-4 teaspoons of butter
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- Zest of 1 lemon
- grated parmesan to taste
- Salt and pepper for taste
Cut the leeks into inch-thick slices and discard the root and tip. Soak them in water for at least 10 minutes so that any dirt can float to the bottom, then drain and let dry. Meanwhile, heat up a skillet and add butter. Stir, then brown the leek on both sides – about three minutes on the first side, two on the second. Be careful turning them over so they don’t fall apart, and add oil as needed to keep them from sticking together and burning. After the first flip, add the sage and garlic and cook until fragrant, then tilt the pan and spread all of that garlic-sage oil over the leeks. Once they are nice and caramelized, deglaze with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar and add a cup of broth. Simmer for fifteen minutes, then sprinkle with lemon zest, pine nuts and grated parmesan.
Grilled Leek
Speaking of eating leeks on their own, why not try grilling them and eating them whole? The best part about this recipe is that it’s simple. By creating the charring and caramelization, you’re letting the leeks’ natural sugars add flavor, so all that’s left to add is a bit of butter and salt.
Ingredients
- 1-2 bulbs per person
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
For this recipe, peel the leeks, leaving them whole. Cut off the excess root, wash away the outer layer of dirt and grit, and then cut along the top third. Soak the leek in water for at least 10 minutes, which will help any extra dirt that may be inside sink to the bottom.
After peeling, place the leeks on a very hot grill (450-500℉) and cook, turning often, until they are charred and start to warp. Remove them from the grill and let them rest, wrapped in foil or newspaper, for 10-20 minutes. (This extra time is needed for them to continue to steam and create the tender heart we’re looking for.) Peel off the charred skins and cut them lengthwise for that buttery, steamed goodness. Top with olive oil and fine sea salt.
Potato gratin with green onions
Green onions are really just very young onions that were picked before they were fully ripe. As a result, the bulb becomes much softer in taste. Both the white and green parts are edible but have an onion flavor from one end to the other, with the end of the bulb being the strongest. In this recipe, we give leeks a break from their marriage to potatoes to create a hearty dish that can serve as a side dish or a full meal.
Ingredients
- ½ pack unsalted butter
- 2 cups green onions, chopped (including white and light green parts)
- 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
- fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 glass of broth
- Freshly grated Gruyère for coating
- Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
- Juice of one lemon plus zest
Preheat oven to 350℉ and heat skillet or skillet on stovetop. Melt half the butter and let it cook until light brown, then add all the green onions. Two cups is a lot, but the softer green portions and the tartness of the lemon really balance it all out. (Another option is to mix different types of onions – leeks, green garlic, leeks, scallions, and onions will all work, keeping the total at 2 cups.) Add the garlic and stir until the bottom of the green has risen. Luke. nicely browned. Add some white wine to deglaze, then add stock, heavy cream, remaining butter, and thyme sprigs.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes, then discard the thyme sprigs and add salt and pepper. Remove from fire. In a separate baking dish, layer the potatoes, adding the sauce and green onion mixture between each layer, until the potatoes are completely covered. Sprinkle with grated gruyere and bake for an hour, or until golden brown and bubbly on the sides.
Pancakes with green onions
I really can’t think of a better way to enjoy the flavor of green onions than with a green onion pancake. The secret of the puff pancake itself is the same as that of the puff pastry: it’s all about the lamination. Even though all the rotation and helical rotation seems like extra work, it is necessary.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup boiling water
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped about ¾ cup
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Salt to taste
Sift flour and mix with sugar in a large bowl. Add boiling water and mix until a flaky dough forms, adding a teaspoon of water at a time if necessary to absorb all the flour. Knead for five minutes until the dough is smooth, then cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Knead the rested dough for another five minutes, then cut it into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and then use a rolling pin to roll it into thin round pancakes. Brush each pancake with sesame oil and sprinkle with salt and chopped green onions. To achieve the desired fluffiness, roll each pancake into a rope so that the green onion is pressed tightly against it. Roll each rope into a tight spiral and let them rest again for another 15 minutes. Then roll out again and flatten each spiral into a pancake. This process is necessary for the lamination needed to create scallion pancakes like the ones you’re used to eating in restaurants.
To fry, heat the oil over medium heat in a flat skillet until it is very hot and covers the entire skillet. Fry each pancake one at a time for a minute or less on each side or until golden brown. You’ll probably want to lower the heat if the oil starts to splatter too much. Transfer each pancake to a paper towel until cool enough to work with, then cut into triangles. Garnish with salt and fresh green onions and start eating.