The only real rule in cooking is not to make anything toxic. Other than that, there are only guidelines. Generally, red onions aren’t cooked as often as yellow or white onions because the reds have a mild flavor and they don’t soften much during cooking. But suppose that’s the effect you want? For example, I would be inclined to use red onions if I wanted a lightly-cooked pasta sauce with a chunky texture and fresh vegetable flavor.
Don’t forget pickling. Pickled onions are wonderful, they go great with cheeses, fishy sardiney things, and many cocktails.
Cook a red onion, eat it, and your friend has been proven wrong.
IME (and apparently in other people’s E as well), wearing contact lenses while slicing onions prevents the eye-watering effect.
Cooking can also fade or almost entirely remove the nice red color.
There are regions in Italy where only red onions are used in cooking, no?
On sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs, BTW, I always prefer a nice bit of white onion, thinly sliced, thick-sliced, or chopped, respectively.
In cooking, I generally use yellow onions. Red onions are for ethnic treats like gyros, shallots are for fancy-schmancy dishes like Ramsay’s filet of rabbit, and leeks are for soups and stews.
Lynn Bodoni, could you post your potato and leek soup recipe? I’d really like to try it.
I don’t really have a recipe, more on the order of guidelines. I based my most recent version on Emeril’s recipe. I use one slice of bacon, one tablespoon of butter, NO peppercorns, and no white pepper. I usually don’t have fresh thyme lying around, or white wine. If I have them, I add them, and if I don’t, I don’t worry about it.
Basically, I cook the chopped bacon (or chopped ham) in the butter, then the leek, while I’m peeling and cutting up the potatoes. Then I add the potatoes plus enough chicken broth to cover. Cook until the potatoes are done, add the milk or cream. If you have powdered milk lying around, this is a good way to use it, though the soup won’t be as rich. I don’t add salt, because my husband doesn’t like salt on most foods, and of course I can’t handle pepper. But for people with more normal tastes, well, then add salt and pepper to taste. I serve the soup with parsley on top, and I pass some sharp grated Cheddar cheese, unless I have also made grilled cheese sandwiches. This soup is filling enough that it makes a meal, with or without sandwiches. I don’t puree the soup, I think that the potatoes are better in chunks.
The chicken stock is essential. I usually use the stock in the box, as it’s the least salty.
My mother used to make homemade noodles or dumplings to put in potato soup. However, I find that this soup is starchy enough for me.
This is a fine sentence. I read it to my husband, as it made me laugh. I commend your use of the English language!