Tags
appearances, Broth, Color, Cookking, Entree's, Food, garnish, illussions, Kitchen Tips, Main Dishes, money, Onion, Onion Skins, onions, rich color, Richness, savings, Soups, Stocks, Zing
Save your onion skins? What for you ask? Well I will tell you something that I learned from Madeleine Kamman, years ago on one of her PBS cooking shows. Save your onion skins (the nice golden to deep brown skins) they are fantastic to add to any broth, in particular bland chicken broth, to give the color, richness lacking in chicken broth. However I have used in all broths where I want a deep rich brown color.
When you peel the outer layers of skin off your onions, it is like Madeleine said, it is just dried onion! I let it sit on the counter for a day to thoroughly dry out, then put them in an air tight container. When you need them take them out, as many as you like for the amount of broth you have and cook with the broth, it will turn a rich golden brown.
Note: Like many things in the kitchen and cooking, personal preference rules, on the amount of skins you will use, you just have to play with it and learn what amount of skins gives the color you desire most. Personally I have found with chicken broth, it will not take to many just to give a subtle rich color to your both.
This as simple as this are often overlooked in todays kitchens, these are the very simple and cost effective ways to save money when food prices are increasing by leaps and bounds. Often in cooking it is the illusion of a rich broth, if the bland broth looks bland it will be bland, but if it looks rich, then your mind will be tricked into believing it is something far different than it really is.
Food is all about presentation, illusion of what the cook wants people to think it is., just like an ordinary dish, say deviled eggs, by themselves they look good, but add a garnish to them, paprika, chopped parsley, chives, and you have created ZING!!
The same goes with both, stocks etc. I have always done this, it is so easy, a good way not to waste food needlessly, and they are ever ready in the cabinet waiting for your use.
I hope you will try this and start saving today.
I was hoping to find a good link to a biography of Madeleine Kamman, however I was unable to find one, other than advertising the many cookbooks she has authored, here is a link that give some information on Madeleine Kamman
cindy knoke said:
I love all your food and ideas!
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Lauren Bradbury said:
What happens after they’ve been in the stock? Do they rehydrate or must they be plucked out before use (I don’t usually filter or sieve my stock). I haven’t enjoyed finding these papery bits in my sautes so would like to know if they’re best used like a bouquet garni, i.e. tied up in cheesecloth then removed, or…?
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hbs1991 said:
Hi Lauren,
I do not strain my stock either, the onion skins are large enough when you put them in that it is so simple to lift out with a slotted spoon or fork, it only takes a couple to make a nice brown stock. No they do not rehydrate and stay papery, however since the skins are the size of 1/2 an onion they are generally very easy to remove.
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Sheryl said:
It’s amazing how people found uses for almost everything in the old days–even the onion skins.
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Sarah Galvin (All Our Fingers in the Pie) said:
It makes sense. Onion skins are a natural dye used with wool and natural fibres. I usually keep a bag of all these trimmings in the freezer for my stock making day. I agree that it doesn’t take much to make your stock so much richer in flavour and colour.
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hbs1991 said:
Hi Sarah! Thanks for the comment, that is a good idea also keeping the trimmings in the freezer for soup making day. The skins really do help on adding a more rich color to any broth, especially chicken broth
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Elizabeth Scott said:
onion skins also make a good natural dye for yarn…
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hbs1991 said:
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your comment! Yes they do make a good dye for yarn, They are good for many things and is a shame to waste anything that can be used.
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Pam said:
Thanks for the great tip! I’ve never heard of this and have to give it a try!
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hbs1991 said:
Thanks Pam, I have found this to be very useful over the years and from something that is so often discarded!
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