Featured...
Torpedo Onions
Inventory, 12 ct : 0
Description/Taste
Torpedo onions are small to medium in size with elongated bulbs averaging 10-20 centimeters in length and seven centimeters in diameter and are connected to straight, slender leaves. The long, round to ovoid bulb has a tightly wrapped, rosy red papery skin, and underneath the protective skin, the flesh transforms from purple to white as it travels to the bottom of the bulb. The firm bulb is crunchy and juicy with layers of small rings and attached to the base, there are many fine, light brown to white root hairs. Torpedo onions have a mild aroma, tender flesh, and sweet flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Torpedo onions are available from late winter through summer.
Current Facts
Torpedo onions, botanically classified as Allium cepa, are an Italian heirloom variety that are members of the Amaryllidaceae family. Also known as Italian Red Torpedo, Rossa di Tropea, and Red Gold of Calabria, Torpedo onions earned their name from its similarity in shape to a torpedo. Torpedo onions are a fresh variety that requires many hours of sunlight and are harvested approximately six months after planting. Favored for their unusual shape and mild flavor, Torpedo onions are one of Italy’s most famous varieties and are used in a wide variety of culinary applications.
Nutritional Value
Torpedo onions contain anthocyanins, vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B6, folate, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium.
Applications
Torpedo onions are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as roasting, grilling, sautéing, and braising. Their mild flavor is sweet enough that they can be consumed raw and sliced on sandwiches, burgers, and wraps, chopped into salads or minced into dips and dressings. When cooked, Torpedo onions can be served over pizza, skewered and grilled with fish and meat, sautéed into a frittata, boiled in soups and stews, mixed into pasta, or even made into marmalade. The bulbs can also be sliced and pickled for extended use as a condiment. Torpedo onions pair well with bacon, avocados, cheeses such as taleggio, pecorino, cotija, feta and mozzarella, fresh herbs including basil, thyme, oregano, and tarragon, grilled meats, cream-based sauces, nuts such as hazelnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios, chiles, citrus, and warm spices including cloves and cardamom. The bulbs will keep 2-3 months when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Torpedo onions, known as Rossa di Tropea in Italy, have a protected registered DOC or Designation of Origin within the European Union. This DOC was instated in 2008 to protect the authenticity and quality of the well-known variety as the Torpedo onion grows optimally in silty soil in the mild, Italian climate near the sea. There is also a Festival of the Red Onion held in Tropea, Italy every August to promote the Torpedo onion. This festival is often paired with celebrating the local bluefish and vendors will create innovative dishes using both the onion and fish. The festival increases tourism each year and is used to revive ancient Italian values of enjoying the land, harvest, and local food available.
Geography/History
Torpedo onions are native to the coast of Tropea, a town in Calabria, Italy, where they were first introduced by the Phoenicians and have been cultivated since ancient times. Today Torpedo onions are somewhat rare to find and are available at farmers markets and specialty grocers in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Torpedo Onions. One
is easiest, three is harder.
