JOIN! 12 Weeks for $1
See all Posts
Say so long to that acrid flavor
Date
January 18, 2019
Love onions but hate the acrid taste that lingers long after the meal is done? Whether you’re slicing rings for a burger or dicing to top a taco, you don’t have to settle for that biting taste any longer. Here at Milk Street, we salt our onions to remove the acerbic taste and soften the flavor. Salt them generously with kosher salt and massage them with your fingers for a minute. Wait 10 minutes, then serve. The salt softens the onion’s fibrous texture and mellows the sharpness of their flavor.
There are other ways to tame raw onion, of course. You could soak slices in lemon juice for 20 minutes, which lends a slightly pickled flavor, as in this Tomato and Herb Salad with Sumac. Or you could go full on quick-pickle, as in this Herbed Egg Salad with Pickled Red Onion or Japanese-Style Salt-Pickled Radish and Onion (Yasai No Sokuseki-zuke).
We like the salt method when we’re not looking for pickled flavor, and because it couldn’t be easier. Try it in this guacamole from central Mexico (note: this recipe contains no lime juice, and no garlic—Diana Kennedy forbids it!), in this Chickpea and Cucumber Salad (Chana Chaat), or the next time you want the crunch and flavor of a raw onion without the bite.
Watch this video for two smart methods for chopping an onion.
And for a clever way to mellow the harsh bite of garlic, head right this way.
Receive a free Digital Cookbook
Plus free Milk Street recipes delivered to your inbox each Monday and access to every TV recipe.
You will also receive special offers from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
No thanks!
Thanks, you’re in! You will receive a confirmation email that includes a link to download your digital copy of COOKish: Special Editor's Picks.
Your First Issue
Special Offer
TRY 12 WEEKS OF MILK STREET INSIDER
INCLUDING PRINT, DIGITAL, FREE STORE
SHIPPING, PLUS MORE, FOR JUST $1
