Produce Briefs...
Garlic Flowers
Garlic flowers are essentially the flowering seeds of a garlic plant. They emerge at the tip of the garlic's above-ground stem. The seeds appear once the garlic has reached maturity or if the plant begins to bolt early
Banana Flowers
Exotic banana flowers are the red-orange to deep purple, pointed, compact heads at the tip end of a forming bunch of bananas. Each bud has large outer petals that protect groups of small white flowers
Seasons/Availability
Torpedo onions are available during the late spring, summer, and sometimes at local farmers markets in winter.
Current Facts
Torpedo onions are a spring/summer fresh onion versus storage onion variety. They are best eaten within two to three months of being harvested as they have poor long term storage qualities.
Description/Taste
An Italian heirloom variety, when dried its layered papery skin is a pale red violet color. Elongated in shape, the bulb resembles a torpedo or petite football. Its flesh is sweet, mild and tender with multiple sets of translucent purple and white colored rings that give it the appearance of a shallot more than an onion.
Applications
Torpedo onions are sweet enough that they can be eaten raw. Cooking brings out the natural sweetness of the torpedo onion best. A slow sautée to caramelize the creates a rich flavor that can allow it to enhance marinades or dressings. It can be utilized as an addition to pizzas or an accoutrement to both fish and meat dishes. Torpedo onions are also an ideal pickling onion.
Geography/History
The torpedo onion is native to Torpea, a town in Calabria, Italy, where it has been cultivated since B.C. records. It does not have a large commercial market; it can mostly be found at farmers markets as it is grown as a specialty crop in mild climates that are similar to its Mediterranean origins. The soil is also crucial to the torpedo onion's flavor and productivity. The Italian native torpedo onion is known as Rossa di Tropea and it has a protected registered D.O.C. (Designation of Origin) within the European Union.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Torpedo Onions. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Local Lemons |
|
Bright and Spicy Summer Soup |
| Nourished Kitchen |
|
Onion Gratin |
| Gastronomy |
|
Sweet Onion and Anchovy Pastries |
