Native to Asia (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan), onion, or Allium cepa, is one of the oldest vegetables cultivated in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. It also spreads very early to the east – used in Indian medicine from the 6the century BC AD -, even if it has long been considered the “scallion of barbarians” in China, where it only gained ground from the 19th century.e century with European cultivars. Bulbous plant, the onion belongs to the fragrant family of Amaryllidaceae, or alliaceae, like garlic, shallot or leek. It is easy to grow, sown or planted in bulbils, prefers exposure to the sun, requires very little water and tolerates the cold well. Planted in spring or fall, it is harvested from May to November. Once out of the ground, it can be eaten fresh or stored for several months. There are countless varieties that are differentiated first by color: the whites (rather small in size and to be eaten fresh), the yellows (the most widespread and easy to keep) and the reds (with a mild and sweet taste). Among the varieties appreciated in France, there are sweet onions from the Cévennes, onions from Roscoff or long red onions from Florence.
As a condiment
The onion is a condiment vegetable, used in (almost) all the cuisines of the world. It is sliced, chopped, chiseled, melted, candied, sweat, brown in oil or butter … It is one of the key ingredients (along with carrot and celery) of French mirepoix and soffritto Italian, essential aromatic bases without which many dishes would only be a tasteless shadow of themselves.
As an ingredient
Powerful and versatile, onion is central in many dishes, from hexagonal onion soup to American ring onions, through southern pissaladière (with anchovies and olives) and eastern flambékueche (with cream and bacon). Without forgetting the sauces, broths and other accompaniments of roasted, braised or long meats
baked in the oven.
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