| Soul food recipes that contain sweet onions may | | | | to cut. |
| seem like relatively new recipes, but the sweet onions | | | | 2. Use a sharp knife. A dull knife can slip and will mash |
| were first introduced around the turn of the century. | | | | rather than slice through the onion. |
| Word has it that a soldier brought some sweet onion | | | | 3. Use a straight edge knife rather than a serrated |
| seeds from Corsica to the Pacific Northwest. | | | | knife for cleaner cuts. |
| Overtime, farmers realized what a special thing they | | | | 4. Be sure your cutting board is positioned securely on |
| had in the sweet onions. They soon began spreading | | | | the counter. If necessary, place a damp kitchen towel |
| the news far and wide. Of all the healthy compounds | | | | underneath to keep the board from sliding around. |
| contained in onions, two stand out. They are sulfur and | | | | 5. If cutting onions ahead of time pack them in a plastic |
| quercetin; both antioxidants. | | | | zipper lock freezer bag. Squeeze all the air out, then |
| They each have been shown to help neutralize free | | | | enclose in a second plastic zipper lock freezer bag. |
| radicals in the body. They also protect the membranes | | | | This will help to keep everything in your fridge from |
| of the cells from damage. Quercetin is also found in | | | | smelling and tasting like onions. |
| red wine and tea, but in much lower quantities. | | | | 6. Use pre cut onions within two days. |
| Most health professionals recommend eating raw | | | | 7. Save onion trimmings, including the papery brown |
| onions for maximum benefit. However, cooking makes | | | | skin and add to soup stock for golden color. Store |
| them more versatile and does not significantly reduce | | | | them in a well sealed plastic zipper lock freezer bag in |
| their potency. In fact, unlike sulfur compounds quercetin | | | | your freezer. |
| can withstand the heat of cooking. | | | | Most sweet onions are usually high in water and sugar |
| It has been well documented that onions help prevent | | | | content. They require more care when storing. Treat |
| thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the | | | | them gently to avoid bruising. Sweet onions will keep |
| American Heart Association. The juice of one yellow | | | | for six weeks at the most. Cut onions should be |
| or white onion a day can raise HDL cholesterol, the | | | | wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated |
| good stuff, by thirty percent. | | | | There is no official industry standard, but a sweet |
| Anyone can tell you that sweet onions, when used for | | | | onion should contain at least six percent sugar. Some |
| soul food recipes, sell out very quickly. It is always a | | | | sweet onions have recorded sugar levels of up to |
| good idea to stock up when you can. Here are a few | | | | twelve percent. These are especially great for soul |
| sweet onion tips. | | | | food recipes. Regular storage onions usually range |
| Look for sweet onions that are light and golden brown | | | | from three to five percent in sugar content. |
| in color. Make sure they have a shiny tissue thin skin | | | | The best sweet onions deliver a burst of sweetness |
| and firm, tight, dry necks. Ordinary storage onions are | | | | when bitten into. They have very little if any sharpness, |
| darker and have a thicker skin. When cut into them, | | | | and possess a subtle, fruity flavor. They should still |
| sweet onions should have a creamy white interior. | | | | taste like an onion, but be much sweeter and milder. |
| Avoid onions that have soft spots or surface bruises. | | | | Sweet onions are a premium product and as such |
| 1. The bigger and firmer the onion, the easier it will be | | | | cost a bit more than storage onions. |