When I stopped at the Claverach Farm booth at last week’s Maplewood Farmers’ Market, I saw what I believed to be overgrown shallots, which I love; they add just enough of a garlicky taste to recipes without overpowering them. But these shallots were huge – as big around as my fist – and elongated. My mind raced to think of all the ways I could prepare them: roasted whole with a little olive oil and sea salt, then tossed with pasta; lightly sautéed on a wilted salad; even pickled.
Imagine my surprise when I learned that my overgrown shallots were actually an heirloom variety of onion known as Tropea. Originally from Italy, these mild sweet red onions are also known as torpedo onions or simply sweet red Italians. Red onions are generally served raw and, typically, I don’t like them. Their taste is too sharp for me unless they’re cooked. Tropeas, however, are perfect: nicely mild and sweet, but not too sweet. I could easily imagine them folded into a grain salad mixed with a little feta cheese and other heirloom vegetables. They’d be great in black bean salsa, too, since their sweet taste wouldn’t compete with the spiciness of the peppers.
I bought a whole basket of Tropeas, which I now know as the onion in shallot clothing.
This article appears in Aug 1-31, 2011.