Around the world, there are hundreds of different types of vegetables, which come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Each one has its own unique flavor and texture and can be used in numerous ways. Vegetables offer a rich supply of valuable nutrients and including them in your everyday diet is essential for good health.
Known as alliums, there are more than 300 distinct species in this family. For culinary purposes, the best-known species are the onion, shallot, leek, bunching onions, garlic and chives. Although there are some wild forms, most varieties are known only in their cultivated form. The one thing all members of the onion family have in common is their characteristic pungent smell and flavor.
ONIONS
Throughout the world, onions are one of the most widely eaten vegetables. They are used as the basis of numerous savory dishes-either gently fried until soft, or fried more fiercely until golden brown, then added to give a wonderful depth and flavor. There are several different varieties of onions, of different strengths, and most are distinguishable by their size and color.
YELLOW ONIONS
These are the most common type of onion. They are characterized by a light brown skin and greenish-white to pale yellow flesh. There are many different varieties, but despite this, yellow onions are often known simply as Spanish onions, regardless of their place of origin; in the United States, Bermuda is the similar generic name. For culinary purposes, Spanish onions are usually large, round and mild. Other types of yellow onions include brown onions, which have thick brown skins, and French onions, which have a stronger, slightly more pungent flavor. Generally, the younger and greener the onion, the more pungent the flesh will taste. Several varieties of yellow onion have been favored for the mild sweetness of their flesh, such as the Vidalia from the Northwestern states of America. Yellow onions are suitable for most kitchen purposes. Large round onions are very good for baking, stuffing or cutting into rings, longer or squatter onions are better for slicing and are good for roasting whole.
RED ONIONS
As with yellow onions, there is a great variety in the shape and size of red onions, but they are all characterized by their shiny, papery purple-red skins. The flesh is white, but stained red at the edges of every layer. Red onions normally have a much milder, sweeter flavor than yellow onions and are often used raw in salads, salsas, relishes, antipasti and marinated dishes. When slices of red onion are tossed with acidic vinegar or citrus juice their color is released and the slices will turn a deep, uniform pink. Red onions are also good roasted, though they are less well-suited to basic frying, when they have less flavor than other varieties.
GRELOTS
This is the French term for little, flattish onions and green skin of the very white flesh. They are generally mild-flavored with a crisp bite. Various types of this onion are often labelled salad onions in supermarkets and food stores. They are very like a bulbous spring onion (scallion). They are used extensively sliced raw in salads, but are good in many quick-cooked dishes such as omelettes and frittatas or sliced into stir-fries. They are less useful for general frying or long-cooked recipes because they tend to disintegrate.
CIPOLLA OR BORETTANE ONIONS
These are quite small, flattish or squat onions with a pale golden skin and pale yellow flesh, while some varieties are tinged with pink. Cipolla or borettane onions are popular in Italy and some varieties are grown in France, too. They have an excellent, sweet flavor with an agreeable strength of taste. Because they are small and have such characteristic shape, they are usually peeled and cooked whole. They are excellent caramelized or cooked a la grecque in a mixture of olive oil, wine and spices. They are also excellent for roasting whole, bottling and pickling.
PICKLING ONIONS
This is a general term for many different varieties of small onions. Some varieties may simply be immature yellow or red onions; others have been specially bred to produce small onions. White silver-skin pickling onions are very strongly flavored and are nearly always used for pickling. They are also sometimes added to martinis. Yellow and red picking onions are usually larger and milder than the silver skin varieties. They also keep much better than silver skins. These small onions are usually used whole and can be pickled in spiced vinegar, roasted or caramelized, or added to casseroles and stews.
Buying and Storing
Onions will keep well if stored in a cool dry place. Do not store them in the refrigerator, as they will go soft. Onions do not keep well once cut, so it is worth buying onions in assorted sizes to avoid having bits left over.
Cooking
The volatile compounds in onions that cause the eyes to water are driven off during cooking, which is why the flavor of cooked onion is never as strong as raw onion. The flavor of onion a depends on the method of cooking Boiled onion or chopped onion added to soups or casseroles has a stronger, more "raw" flavor. Frying or sauteing briefly, or sweating over a very low heat until soft and translucent, gives a mild flavor. When fried until golden brown, onions develop a distinct flavor, both sweet and savory that is superb in curries and with grilled (broiled) meats.
These are the mainstays of our winter meals. Parsnips, turnips, Swedes and potatoes combine to make wonderful warming stews. Jerusalem artichokes are another winter favorite and, as winter turns to spring, young carrots and Jersey potatoes appear. Exotic roots such as sweet potatoes and yams are available almost all year round, and root vegetables such as salsify can be enjoyed whatever the season.
POTATOES
This starchy root vegetable comes from South America and was introduced to England by early explorers of the New World. They were not an immediate success, being reviled as flavorless and suitable only for the poor. But by the 17th century, they were popular throughout Europe, grown extensively in Ireland and many northern European countries and taking over from bread as a staple food. They are a good source of carbohydrate and vitamin C and other nutrients. There are more than 400 varieties of potato. However, most of these are not widely available commercially and are generally only enjoyed by those who grow them themselves.
NEW POTATOES
These are not a particular variety, but are any potatoes that are harvested while small and young. Often labeled earlies, they appear in stores from May on wards and are smaller, sweeter and firmer than main-crop potatoes. Alex with a creamy waxy texture and a good mild flavor, these potatoes are good for salads and are suitable for most cooking methods. Anya These small finger potatoes have a knobbly oval shape with pale pink-beige skin, white flesh, a waxy texture and a pleasant nutty flavor. Carlingford Available as both a new potato and as the main crop, Carlingford has a close white flesh. They are suitable for most cooking methods. Epicure These rounds, white-skinned potatoes have firm flesh, deep eyes and a very distinctive flavor.
MAIN CROP POTATOES
These are available all year round and can be stored for many months. Atlantic These ovals to round potatoes have a light, scaly, buff skin and white flesh. They are mainly used for chips (US fries) and crisps (US chips). Bel Rus These uniforms, long, smooth potatoes have dark, thick, russeted skin and creamy colored flesh. They are excellent in gratins and for steaming. The heavy russeting produces a thick, crunchy skin when baked. Cara A large main crop potato, this variety is excellent baked or boiled. Desiree This potato has a pink skin and yellow soft-textured flesh. It is good for all culinary purposes. Estima This potato is widely available, though rather tasteless, with yellow flesh and pale skin. King Edward Probably the best-known of British potatoes, King Edwards have a good flavor and a floury texture that makes them well suited for roasting and baking. Red King Edwards is virtually identical except for their skin color. They, too, are good roasted or baked, but the flesh tends to disintegrate when they are boiled so they are really only suitable for mashing. Maris Piper This widely grown variety of potato is popular with both gardeners and cooks because it is suitable for all kinds of cooking methods baking, chipping, roasting and mashing. Maris Piper potatoes have a pale, smooth skin and creamy white flesh. Nicola This oval-shaped potato has a smooth yellowish skin and deep yellow flesh. The texture is waxy with an excellent buttery taste. This potato is ideal for all-round use as well as being particularly good in salads. It is also good steamed and sauteed, and sliced for slow-cooked oven-baked dishes Penta These round white-skinned potatoes have quite deep pink-red eyes and a rich, creamy flesh. They tend to disintegrate when they are boiled and are better steamed Pentland Dell A long, oval-shaped potato, the Pentland Dell has a floury texture that tends to disintegrate when boiled. For this reason it is popular for roasting as the outside becomes soft when parboiled and then crisps up with the addition of fat during roasting.
Buying and Storing
Potatoes should be stored in a dark, cool, dry place. If exposed to the light. Green patches develop which can be poisonous; if kept in the damp, they go mouldy. If buying in bulk, buy potatoes in paper sacks rather than polyethylene bags, as the humid conditions will cause them to rot. Similarly, if you buy potatoes in smaller quantities in polythene bags, remove and store in a dark place. Main-crop potatoes will keep for several months in the right conditions, but will gradually lose nutrients. New potatoes should be eaten as soon as possible, or at least within 2-3 days.
Preparation and Cooking
Most of the minerals and vitamins in potatoes are contained in or just below the skin. It is therefore better to eat potatoes in their skins, rather than peeling them. New potatoes should be washed under running water; older potatoes should be scrubbed If you peel potatoes, use a peeler that removes only the very top surface. Place them in a pan of water so they are just covered until ready to cook. Ideally, they should be cooked at once to avoid any loss of vitamin C. Really new potatoes, peel very easily, often just by being rubbed in your hands. You can tell a good new potato by how easily the skin rubs off. With a small sharp knife, scrape away the flaky skin and cook in just enough water to cover them completely. Potatoes can be baked in their skins, boiled, steamed, sauteed, drizzled with oil and roasted or deep-fried to make chips (fries). Boiled potatoes are very good mashed with a little butter.
SWEET POTATOES
These have a distinctive sugary and spicy flavor which makes them an excellent addition to many savory dishes. There are two types of this highly nutritious tuber: one has cream colored flesh, the other orange. The orange-fleshed variety has a higher nutritional content because it is richer in the anti-oxidant beta-Carotene. Both types are a good source of potassium, and contain plenty of nutritional fibre, vitamin C and carbohydrate.
PARSNIPS
These hearty, nutritious root vegetables have a huge history. The Romans grew with cooked made to them broths and stews, and throughout the Middle Ages before the potato had been introduced they were the main starchy vegetable eaten by ordinary people. Nowadays, parsnips are available all year round, but they are still most popularly used to make warm winter soups and stews Parsnips are related to carrots and are similarly sweet, but with a distinct earthy flavor. They go well with other root vegetables and their flavor is greatly enhanced by the addition of spices and garlic.
CARROTS
The orange carrot we know and love today came originally from Holland, but up until the Middle Ages, all carrots were purple. Gardeners often delight in such oddities, but you will be very lucky to find any purple specimens available in stores or supermarkets. Carrots contain large amounts of carotene and vitamin A, along with useful amounts of vitamins B 3, C and E. When eaten raw, they also provide potassium, calcium, iron and zinc, but these are partly destroyed by cooking.
BEETROOT/BEET
These purple roots have been eaten since Roman times. They have a dark purplish skin and a bright, vibrant pinkish-purple flesh. They contain valuable supplies of nutrients and are said to have excellent detoxifying properties. They may be eaten raw or cooked, and serve also populay as juice.
Buying and Storing
If possible, buy small Beetroots which have their whiskers intact and have at least 5 cm/2 in of leaf stalk at the top; if they are too closely cropped they will bleed during cooking. Fresh Beetroots will keep for several weeks if stored in a cool place.
Preparing and Cooking
To cook beet-root whole, rinse under running water. Cut the stalks to about 2.5 cm/1 in above the beet-root. Don't cut away the tapering root or the peel. The Beetroot can then be baked in the oven, either in a little water in a casserole with a tight-fitting lid, or wrapped in foil and cooked like a baked potato. In a low oven, the beet-root will cook in 2-3 hours it is cooked when the skin begins to wrinkle and can be easily rubbed away with your fingers. To boil beet-root, prepare as above and simmer for about 1 hour. Beetroot can also be served cold, grated or chopped in salads. Beetroot tops are rich in vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. If you are lucky enough to get some, boil the greens for a few minutes, drain and serve with butter or olive oil.
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