Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
H O W T O C H 0 O S E: Storage onions should be well filled, with the peel adher-
ing to the bulb. There should be little shrinkage and no visible fungus (black dusty stuff).
Avoid onions with green sprouts. Green onions should be fresh, with no decay at the tops
and little shedding of the white peel. When green onions begin to get old, they are often
trimmed, so check that the base is as wide as the root. When buying leeks, look for the
same thing you do with green onions. Remember that the white part is what you eat, so
the higher it goes on the stalk, the better off you are. Garlic should be well filled and solid.
If the paper covers the cloves loosely, that's a sign of the shrinkage that comes with drying
out. There should be no sprouting. Shallots should be well filled with a tight-fitting peel.
Remember to check the base for the root scar and make sure one side is flattened to ensure
that you're getting true shallots.
H O W T O S T 0 R E: Storage onions, shallots and garlic should be stored in
a cool, dry place away from light. Sweet onions should be refrigerated, as should green
onions and leeks.
H O W T 0 P R E PA R E: The easiest way to peel storage onions and shallots is to
cut off the root and the top, leaving a strip of skin attached at each end. Pull down on that
strip, and you'll create an opening in the paper from which you can easily peel the rest of
the onion. Garlic can be broken out of the head by placing the head root end up on a cut-
ting board. Press down firmly with the heel of your hand, and the cloves will pop free. To
peel a clove, lay it on the cutting board and whack it just hard enough to bruise it with the
flat of a chef's knife. That tight-fitting peel will come off easily. Because leeks are grown
in mounds of dirt, they require special care in cleaning. Cut off the roots, leaving the base
intact. Cut off the tough green leaves (these can be frozen to use in stock). Leaving about
2 inches of the base intact, cut the leek lengthwise into quar ters and rinse it well under
running water. Inspect it carefully for any hidden grit.
