A favorite Beatles’ song
”
Paper Back Writer
”
resounds through my brain as I am trying to come up with a theme
for this week’s article. The lilt of the
”
Paper Back W-r-r-ri-ter
”
transforms into my arrangement of
”
article wr-r-r-ri-ter
”
all the while I am trying to think, think, think of a theme.
A favorite Beatles’ song “Paper Back Writer” resounds through my brain as I am trying to come up with a theme for this week’s article. The lilt of the “Paper Back W-r-r-ri-ter” transforms into my arrangement of “article wr-r-r-ri-ter” all the while I am trying to think, think, think of a theme.
Charging up the hill on the way home last night with that song resounding both in the car (their version) and in my head (my version) the tantalizing smell of a neighbor’s dinner passed by me. Onions! Someone is making onion steak or onion rings. Or is the smell coming from Gilroy? Who cares!
What a perfect plot for a paperback novel, or better yet for a food article. So today you get onions.
Onions are prized the world over for that magical pungent odor and tantalizing flavor. It makes the world seem right again just to get a whiff of onions cooking in butter or olive oil, soon to be placed on top of a juicy steak or burger. It is one of those food aromas that will bring back childhood memories in a flash or send you back in time to a special vacation spot where your dining experience may have seen a special onion dish or two.
The neighbor who is responsible for the onion wake-up call may have been making the wonderful German dish known as Zwiebelrostbraten (onion steak or roast beef). I was fortunate to live for a couple of years in Bavaria. Every Sunday the family who lived in the apartment below us would prepare zwiebelrostbraten, starting the cooking of the onions very early in the morning. We were convinced it was a ploy to get everyone in the neighborhood up and ready for church or something. Church or not, zwiebelrostbraten remains a favorite attention getter. Give it a try as soon as possible. With the cool evenings of fall the warm and cozy feel of this dish will become a family favorite.
It is easy to make wonderful onion rings at home. Once you try it you will be hesitant to order fried onion rings again. There is something very special about a real onion ring that has been dipped into a tempura batter and quickly fried in vegetable oil and sprinkled with sea salt.
Basically there are two main classifications for onions. Green onions are fresh and are many times known as scallions. They are so easily used in any recipe and will give a mild onion flavor. The other grouping of onions is much broader. They are the dried onions available year round but with various sizes, shapes and flavors. The summer onions are much sweeter, such as Maui and Vidalia. They also do not keep very well so use them quickly. The winter storage onions are many times just lumped as brown or white onions. This variety will keep for months and will give various degrees of pungency.
Just a little hint before I leave you with your onion peeling duties. Ilsa Straub of Hollister taught me this onion peeling trick years ago and it has saved me from crying over the onions. The onion bulb is naturally filled with liquid onion juices. So as it stands in the grocery store and then in your home, the onion is still sending those liquids down into the root end to help keep it alive. I used to slice off the top and then slice off the bottom just above the roots. And then I would cry. Now, I cut off the top and with my knife I peel the papers (skins) down toward the root end but not yanking them off. Then I hold the onion by the skins that are now gathered at the root end and start slicing across the onion from the top. When I get to about 1/4 inch of the root, it gets tossed out quickly. Very seldom do I cry over those onions again. Give it a try.
ONION RINGS
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
freshly ground peppercorns
enough beer to make a dipping
consistency (like pancake batter)
corn or sunflower oil
fine sea salt
Heat oil to a depth of two inches in a saucier or other deep sided heavy bottomed pan. Slice onion into rings about 1/4 inch thick. In batter bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper and enough beer to make a dipping consistency, such as thick pancake batter. When oil has reached 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer, dip onion rings into batter and then carefully add to hot oil, cooking 1-2 minutes total or until nicely browned. Place cooked rings on paper towel lined baking sheet and sprinkle with fine sea salt.
ZWIEBELROSTBRATEN
4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
or bacon fat
3 large onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1-2 T bone or other beef steak
4 tablespoons red wine
In saute pan or large, heavy-bottomed skillet heat oil or butter and add the onions. Cook and stir over medium low heat at least 30 minutes, or until onions have browned. They should start to caramelize and become soft in texture. In the meantime, rub steaks with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove most of the onion mixture to serving platter, adding a little more oil if necessary to the pan to cook the meat. Turn the heat up, add the seasoned meat and cook at least 3 minutes on the first side, and then as long as necessary on the second side to cook to your desired doneness. Remove meat and onion to platter. In the hot pan, pour in the wine. Using a silicone spatula, stir the mixture while it is boiling to reduce it and to bring up the browned bits clinging to the pan. Pour over steak and onions and enjoy.
