Onions & Garlic

Onions are versatile as they can be sweet and savoury at the same time. They are not often used as a side dish, but more of an addition to a recipe to enhance flavour like herbs and spices. They’re bulb shaped, with papery skin and many layers and can be sliced and diced in various way depending on the dish. Onions are great for most savoury dishes from salad, sandwiches, casseroles, to soups and even solely as a garnish.

Yellow onions are the staple onion, with brown skin and white flesh and are universal for most recipes. They contain more sulphur than other onions so tend to be the most pungent and are rarely eaten raw. They work well in dishes that require a low heat such as stews and soups, notably French onion.

White onions such as the Italian Borettane onion, are a sweeter flavour that is mild in comparison to other onion varieties so are better for eating raw than yellow onion, however are still more commonly cooked. They are often roasted, caramelised and pickled.

Red onions are purple in colour and have a less distinctly onion flavour and a spicy, peppery taste. Their colour makes them a vibrant addition to salads and salsas and they are often used on burgers, sandwiches and pickled in thin slices.

Shallots look like small, more oval onions. They have brown skin with purple flesh and an intense flavour that is sweeter and mellower than an onion with garlic notes. Shallots are great roasted and when minced finely can be used in salads and dressings.