About Allium Vegetables

Allium comes from a Greek world for garlic and onions. In addition to onions and garlic, the allium grouping includes shallots, leeks, and chives. These vegetables are rich in sulphur, which give them their characteristic flavor and aroma. which are essential for basic cooking.

Onions

The most well-known member of the alliums are bulb or common onions of the Allium cepa species. Common onions may have yellow, white, purple, or red skins (like in the picure).

Onions may be either fresh or dried. Fresh (or sweet) onions are milder. Dry (or storage) onions, are stronger tasting. A storage onion can be identified by its thick, papery skin. Yellow storage onions account for the great majority of onions purchased by the average consumer.

Red onions are the sweetest, but the worst "keepers." They are especially suited for slicing and eating raw: in salads, sandwiches, or on a hamburger.

Yellow onions are strong flavoured, and are the best choice for storage, and are good for cooking in soups and stews.

Common mild onions include Bermuda and Spanish varieties. Pearl onions - the smallest of the bulb onions - are usually white, and are often used for boiling or pickling. Onions are biennials grown as annuals.

Garlic

Garlic has the strongest flavor of all the alliums. A hardy perennial, garlic grows as bulbs, which are made up of cloves. One type of garlic that has become popular recently is Elephant garlic, which is a separate species (Allium scorodoprasum or Allium ampeloprasum). Elephant garlic has huge, very mild heads, and can either be sliced and eaten raw in salads or cooked and used as a substitute for onions.

Shallots

Shallots have a distinctive tapered shape that sets them apart from other members of the onion family. Most often a copper brown color, they may also be reddish or gray. Their flavor, sometimes described as a blend of sweet onion and garlic, make them a favorite of gourmet chefs.

Leeks

Leeks are the giants of the allium family. They can be up to nine inches long and two inches thick, and do not form a bulb. A national emblem of Wales, leeks were probably first brought to England by the Romans. France, Belgium, and the Netherlands are the world's leading producers of leeks, which feature prominently in the cooking of these countries. Also known as poor man's asparagus, leeks pair well with potatoes; their most familiar cooking use may be in leek and potato soup. Wild leeks, known as ramps, are native to eastern North America.

Chives

Chives look much like tall clumps of grass. (In fact, the alliums are closely related to grass.) Chives can be snipped and used from the garden as needed. Chives also add a mild onion flavour to soups, salads, and dips. Garlic chives (Allium tubersosum), also known as Chinese chives or Oriental chives, are a separate species. They can be used in much the same way for cooking, however, and are good as a mild garlic substitute.