ONIONS
What is it?
This year we are only growing two kinds of onions:
Candy: sweet, intermediate day, yellow onion. Stores about 2-3 months.
Red Cabernet: sweet, intermediate day, red onion. Stores about 4-6 months.
Onions form their bulbs at or just below the soil level. You can get an idea of the size of the onion below the surface by the size of the top and how much it has pushed up the dirt around it. Alternatively, just look for onions where the top has fallen over; this is the onion’s way of saying I’m finished growing and ready to harvest!
Grip the onion top near the soil and give the onion a wiggle to coax it out of the ground. If it still holds firm, insert your garden shovel a few inches out from the onion and “pry” around the base in a couple places. Careful not to damage the onion with your garden shovel. Then try the wiggle trick again. If you need help just give a call and “Farmer Gray” can come coach you. Onions can have roots as long as their tops.
Onions contain antioxidants and compounds that fight inflammation, decrease triglycerides and reduce cholesterol levels — all of which may lower heart disease risk. Their potent anti-inflammatory properties may also help reduce high blood pressure and protect against blood clots.
How do I clean and store it?
Fresh onions like these do NOT need to be dried before use, they’re ready to eat! Wash the whole onion plant to gently remove all dirt. Trim off the roots, separate the bulb from the greens, and peel any bits of dry outer layer from the bulb. Fresh onions are best kept in a reusable silicone bag or container with a lid in the fridge. Trim off the tips of the leaves and any tough or beat up bits, then store in the same way. If you’re buying our bagged onions near checkout later in the season, they have been dried and should not be stored in the fridge.
How do I cook it?
Onions are life! Raw or cooked, these are just a few of our favorites.
Slice up a white onion, a cucumber, and a tomato for a refreshing side salad
Cut in thick slices and grill alongside steaks. A toothpick inserted halfway horizontally through the slice will keep it from falling apart
Combine a can of garbanzo beans, a red pepper, and a slivered red onion, pour on your favorite vinaigrette, and top with a handful of feta
Teri’s way: slice onions and sauté with potatoes in a skillet with butter aol.nd a little olive oil
Farmer Gray’s way: water sautéed in a skillet with sliced bell peppers, yellow and/or zucchini squash, and herbs of your choice until fork tender. Top with salt and pepper or some Mrs. Dash
“Oh no, we picked 22 pounds of onions”:
Fresh onions will keep stored properly in the fridge for several weeks. If you really picked a ton, you can lay them out to cure in a shaded, well ventilated area. In that case, DO NOT wash or remove the tops from the onion; simply lay them out exactly as they are when you bring them home from the farm, for about 1-2 weeks. Curing will allow them to keep at room temperature for several months. You can can them too - pickled red onions are great on sandwiches, salads, and charcuterie boards: