VARIETIES
1 ONIONS A global favourite, onions are originally from Asia. The most popular, the brown onion, has a strong flavour that softens to become sweet and earthy when cooked.
2 SPRING ONIONS Despite resembling leeks, spring onions are actually salad onions picked before the bulb has swollen. They make a crunchy addition to salads.
3 LEEKS
4 SHALLOTS
5 GARLIC
Though bitter if eaten raw, leeks taste delicate and sweet once cooked. They complement a range of ingredients, making them great in risottos or as a base for soups.
Unlike spring onions, shallots are not young onions, despite their small size. Made up of fine layers, they have a fragrant, mild flavour, and are traditional in French cookery.
Composed of small cloves that surround an inedible stem, garlic is a staple of cuisines across the world, and has a mellow sweetness when it’s cooked.
WORDS AND RECIPES BRYONY BOWIE PHOTOGRAPHY ANT DUNCAN FOOD STYLING SUE HENDERSON PROP STYLING TAMZIN FERDINANDO
From punchy garlic to silky leeks, alliums are the starting point for so many great meals
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PREP Trim the root and green top from leeks and spring onions; remove the outer layer. Spring onions can then be sliced, but cut leeks in half lengthways first and rinse to remove soil. Peel onions, garlic and shallots before slicing.
STORE
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Keep spring onions and leeks in the fridge. Onions, garlic and shallots should be kept in a cool, dry place (but not the fridge, as they’ll go soft).
E NJ O Y Spring onions are great raw in salads, but onions, shallots, leeks and garlic are best cooked to mellow their flavour. For tear-free onion chopping, freeze for 10 minutes and don’t cut through the root.
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Try them in...
LEEK AND POTATO SOUP *Soften onion, leeks and garlic in a pan. Add potatoes, thyme and stock. Simmer until the potatoes are soft. Blitz then top with crispy shallots. PANCETTA MAC ’N’ CHEESE Fry leek, garlic and pancetta and stir into cooked macaroni, chopped spring onions, parsley and cheese sauce. Top with breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan. Bake until golden. SHALLOT TARTE TATIN Fry halved shallots in butter in an ovenproof frying pan until soft; add balsamic vinegar, thyme and a little water. Top with puff pastry, then bake until risen and golden.
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For more brilliant allium recipes, visit tesco.com/realfood
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