Volume 11, Issue 91 - November 6, 2006

Good Day Member,

I hope you all had a great weekend, we sure did.

This week we are going to visit with the fine folks from Onions-USA.org. They have some great info for you and and some tasty recipes. Today we have a special offer and some history of the onion. They have been around a long time and you can get yours fresh year round. Let's get started...

Culinary Education Guide Provides Layers of Information about Onions

"Onions —Layers of Flavor," a culinary education guide CD-Rom, from the National Onion Association provides comprehensive information about onion storage, handling and uses.

The guide includes recipes, a cutting demonstration, sizing chart and more.

To order your free "Onions —Layers of Flavor" CD-Rom, write to the National Onion Association, 822 7th Street, Suite 510, Greeley, CO 80631

Bring on the Onions! Onions for All Seasons and All Tastes. History, Health Facts, Trivia, Quotes, FAQ's, Handling Tips and Awesome Recipes! Onions-USA.org

Onion and Turkey Lime Salad

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

6 cups white or yellow onions, cut into narrow wedges
6 cups slivered sweet red peppers
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups cooked turkey, shredded
1/4 to 1/2 cup tequila (see note)
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons dried, crushed hot red peppers
1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
lettuce
sour cream (optional)

Preparation:

Sauté onions and peppers in oil until tender. Add turkey, tequila, lime peel, garlic, cumin and crushed pepper; heat thoroughly. Add lime juice and mix. Cover and refrigerate. Arrange 1-1/2 cups salad on lettuce-lined individual salad plates. Serve with sour cream.

Note: Three tablespoons frozen grapefruit juice concentrate may be substituted.

Source: National Onion Association

Food Arts Magazine

Every issue features exceptional recipes, trends in the industry, restaurant openings and chefs on the move, surveys of new equipment, innovative presentation techniques and much more. Foodservice Professionals, sign up for your Free Copy

Onion History:

Because onions are small and their tissues leave little or no trace, no conclusive opinion exists about the exact location and time of their birth. Many archaeologists, botanists and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Other research suggests onions were first grown in Iran and West Pakistan.

Very likely, the onion was a staple in the prehistoric diet - long before farming or even writing was invented.

Most researchers agree the onion has been cultivated for 5,000 years or more. Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world. Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than other food of the time, were transportable, were easy to grow and could be grown in a variety of soils and climates. In addition, onions were useful for sustaining human life. Onions prevented thirst and could be dried and preserved for later consumption.

While the place and time of onion's origin are still a mystery, many documents describe their use in art, medicine and even mummification:

• One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch.
• Egyptian paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of pyramids and in tombs. The Egyptians saw eternal life in the anatomy of the onion because of its circle-within-a-circle structure.
• Onions have been found in the pelvic regions, in the thorax, flattened against the ears and in front of the collapsed eyes of mummies.
• Onions are mentioned to as being eaten by Israelites in the Bible.
• The famous medical treatise Charaka of the 6th century B.C. celebrates the onion as medicine - a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes and the joints.
• The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the Olympic Games.
• The Roman gourmet Apicius, credited with writing one of the first cookbooks (which dates bask to the eighth and ninth century A.D.), included many references to onions.
• In the Middle Ages, onions were used as rent payments and wedding gifts.
• The Pilgrims brought onions on the Mayflower and then found strains of wild onions already growing throughout North America.

Source: National Onion Association

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Crusty Onion Bruschetta

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 French bread baguette (about 8 ounces)
4 ounces light cream cheese
1/2 cup nonfat or low fat ricotta cheese
2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 cup pizza sauce, canned
1 medium onion, cut into paper-thin wedges
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
parsley flakes (optional)

Preparation:

Split bread in half lengthwise. Pull out some bread from center of each half, leaving a 1/2-inch shell.

Beat cheeses and herbs with fork and spread mixture along length of both bread halves. Place a ribbon of pizza sauce and a single layer of onions over cheese mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake on baking sheet at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until onion is tender and tips are slightly blackened, but crust is not too dark.

Sprinkle with dry parsley flakes if desired. Cut crosswise into narrow strips.

Source: National Onion Association