Recipes with Purple Onions

People always love finding new ways of doing or presenting things that we like.  We can see this in our cars, our telephones, our clothes, etc.  Not only do we like changing models for something more efficient and beautiful year after year, but we also like to have different versions of each product with slight variations; a phone with more memory, a different color, and you could go on adding even more ideas to this list.

And this way of being is no exception for our foods, including vegetables, which have been changed since before history to produce better crops that in the end, are nothing like what the original plant was thousands of years ago.

Rather, one would find poisonous potatoes or inedible corn.  And throughout this amazing vegetable diversity, we have also developed the purple onion, which is not only prettier than the white onion, but it also has different nutritional properties. 

The color of its skin indicates that certain pigments are present, known as anthocyanins, which are excellent antioxidants.  Purple onions also have a sweeter and slightly lighter than white onions, which makes them easier to be eaten raw.  This allows us to take advantage of the wide variety of nutrients that are in all onions (folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, etc.), which are perfect for salads or for grilling. 

ately I’ve been on a purple onion spree, rather than white onions, simply because they make everything better that they’re put into.  I’m going to share a few recipes with you today so that you, too, can try the different culinary varieties that this onion can provide, while at the same time enjoying the benefits of their antioxidants.

Purple Onion Pie

Ingredients:

For the pie dough:

• 350 grams wheat flour
• 180 grams butter
• 2 Tbsp. cold water

For the filling:

• 1 purple onion
• 3 eggs
• ½ c. milk
• 250 mL cream
• 150 grams manchego or parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

For preparing the pie dough:

1. On a flat surface or in a deep bowl, add the butter, previously cubed into small squares.  The butter should be cold.  Add the flour and mix with your fingers until it slowly creates a sandy texture.  This dough can also be prepared in a food processor, simply place all of your ingredients except for the water in it, and mix in a pulsing fashion until a compact dough is formed.
2. If you’re making the mixture with your hands, once the butter has reached a sandy texture and there are no more large butter balls, add the egg yolk and gently mix until well blended.  The dough should start to become compact.  If the mixture is crumbling easily, add the water and blend until well mixed.  It is important that you don’t blend too much, just enough so that the dough is formed.  If you mix it too much it could turn out hard.  
3. Shape into a disc and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Once the dough is ready and has set long enough, spread the dough out so that it fits a pie pan from 20 to 25 cm. in diameter.
5. Place the dough in the pan, lightly greased, and press down to shape the crust.  Cut of the excess edges and remove.
6. Use a fork to indent the edges for decoration, and use the fork to poke holes into the base of the crust so that it doesn’t rise.
7. Place a small amount of wax paper on top and add beans or rice on top to weigh it down.  Cook the crust.
8. Bake the pie crust with the beans for approximately 15 minutes at 180? C.  Then carefully remove the beans, they will be hot, and cook the crust for another 10 minutes approximately, so that it can turn golden.

For the pie filling:

1. Thinly dice the purple onion and set aside.
2. Sauté the onions in a bit of onion until they are caramelized and soft.
3. Thinly grate the cheese.
4. Beat the eggs, milk, and cream in a bowl until perfectly combined.
5. Add the cheese and caramelized onions, beat until well combined, and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Pour the mixture into the crust that you previously baked.  Bake once again for 20 minutes until the filling becomes golden and slightly spongey.

Onion Jam

Ingredients

• 1 kilo purple onions
• 100 grams butter
• 150 grams sugar
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Dice the purple onions, or process them with a food processor.  Heat the butter in a frying pan until it melts, then add the onions.  Cook until soft.  Add the sugar, salt, and mix until it thickens and caramelizes, then add the salt.  Cook until golden.

Fill previously sterilized jars with the onion jam.

Onions pickled in Vinegar

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 purple onions
• 300 mL vinegar
• 200 mL water
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cloves
• 3 whole peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Slice the onions either into rings or cubes.
2. Blanch the onions in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes.  Remove from water and strain.
3. Add the water, vinegar, sugar and salt into a pot, and bring to a boil.
4. Add the spices: the cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaf.
5. Add the previously blanched onions and bring to a boil.
6. Pour into a pan and allow to cool.  Once it has cooled, cover and store.  Remember to use sterilized jars.  

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