Volume 11, Issue 95 - November 10, 2006

Hello Member,

I would like to thank the fine folks at Onions-USA.org for their great content and Mary Ramsey Humann and Kimberly Reddin for their help in getting this all put together.

Be the life of the party with onion trivia... Just below are some fun facts about onions for your enjoyment and a Wild Mushroom and Onion Pizza recipe. Enjoy.

Next week we are going to talk about some exciting and interesting spices and their uses for the upcoming holidays with author and spice specialist Ian Hemphill and recipes by Kate Hemphill from their book, The Spice and Herb Bible, Second Edition.

Don't forget to enter your recipes in the two contests below. You could win some serious cash and get bragging rights too!

Have a Great Weekend...You Deserve It!

Onion Trivia:

What compound in onions brings tears to your eyes?

Sulfuric compounds. To cut down on the crying, chill the onion and cut into the root end of the onion last.

How many pounds of fresh and storage type onions does the average American eat per year?

21 pounds.

How many truck loads of onions are consumed each day?

Over 380 semi-truck loads.

What country boasts the highest per capita consumption of onions?

Libya, with 66.8 pounds of onions consumed per person each year.

How many calories are in a serving of onions?

30 calories.

What are the three colors of onions sold in most grocery stores?

Yellow, red, and white.

How many acres of onions are planted in the United States each year?

142,000 acres.

How many onion farmers are there in the United States?

Less than 1,000.

Source: National Onion Association

Bring on the Onions! Onions for All Seasons and All Tastes. History, Health Facts, Trivia, Quotes, FAQ's, Handling Tips and Awesome Recipes! Onions-USA.org

Roast Chicken Breast with Onion Marmalade

Makes 24 servings

Ingredients:

Rosemary Mustard Butter:

1 teaspoon shallot, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1/2 ounce rosemary stems
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup mushroom stems
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1-1/2 cups butter
1 teaspoon rosemary, fresh chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper, ground

Sweet Onion Broth:

3 pounds yellow onions, sliced
3 pounds red onions, sliced
3/4 cup shallots, sliced
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
6 bay leaves
3 cups sherry wine
4-1/2 cups chicken stock
4-1/2 cups veal stock
1/2 cup herb stems

Red Onion Marmalade:

3 pounds red onions, sliced
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, ground
24 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (6 ounce) portions
4-1/2 pound mixed vegetables
6 cups Sweet Onion Broth
1-1/2 cups Red Onion Marmalade
1-1/2 cups Rosemary Mustard Butter
1 gallon chicken broth

Preparation:

For Rosemary Mustard Butter:

Place shallots, garlic, mustard seed, rosemary, bay leaf, mushrooms, white wine and champagne vinegar in a sauce pan and reduce by two thirds. Strain. Blend butter until smooth and add the strained reduction, Dijon mustard, rosemary, salt and pepper. Blend until combined. Form into roll and refrigerate.

For Sweet Onion Broth:

Spray pan with nonfat cooking spray. Add onions, shallots and garlic. Sweat vegetables until tender and lightly browned. Add sherry and reduce by half. Add chicken and veal stocks, simmer 45 minutes or until it develops a rich onion flavor and has reduced slightly. Strain and set aside.

For Onion Marmalade:

Spray pan with nonfat cooking spray. Add onions and sweat over low heat until tender and translucent. Deglaze pan with red wine vinegar. Reduce until dry. Season with salt and pepper. Cool and set aside.

For Each Serving:

Roast chicken breast. Heat vegetables in stock. Place warm vegetables in center of plate with chicken breast on top. Place a dollop of Rosemary Mustard Butter on top of the chicken. Sprinkle the Red Onion Marmalade over the vegetables and chicken. Serve.

Source: National Onion Association

More Onion Trivia:

What cocktail is traditionally garnished with a pearl onion?

The Gibson. According to the Webtender (online bartender), the Gent of the Jury, Patton Martini, Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster #2 and the Yellow Rattler also call for a cocktail onion.

According to an old English Rhyme, the thickness of an onion skin can help predict what?

The severity of the winter. Thin skins mean a mild winter is coming while thick skins indicate a rough winter ahead.

Where are specialty sweet onions grown?

Gentle, sweet onions are grown in several parts of the United States including Arizona (The Grand Canyon Sweet), California (Sweet Imperials), Georgia (Vidalia Sweets), Hawaii (Maui Sweets and Hawaiian Hula Sweets), New Mexico (Nu-Mex Sweets), Texas (Texas Spring Sweets, 1015s and Super Sweets) and Washington (Walla Walla Sweets).

What should you eat to get rid of onion breath?

Parsley.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, how much did the largest onion ever grown weigh?

10 pounds 14 ounces. It was grown by V. Throup of Silsden, England.

What Beatles song has "onion" in its title?

Glass Onion. (The White Album)

In what famous story was the Seven-of-Spades threatened to be beheaded for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions?

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

Source: National Onion Association

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Wild Mushroom and Onion Pizza

Makes 24 (6-inch pizzas) servings

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough:

3-3/4 cups lukewarm water
6 packages dry yeast
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
7-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2-1/4 to 3 cups soy flour

Onion-Wild Mushroom Topping:

1-1/2 pounds onions, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups assorted wild mushrooms, sliced (shiitake, oyster, etc.)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

Preparation:

For Pizza Dough:

Pour water into mixing bowl, add yeast and stir until dissolved. Stir in honey, oil, salt and flours and mix with a large spoon until a dough develops. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until a smooth elastic dough forms. Dust with flour if needed to prevent sticking. The dough should not be too stiff.

Form dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and let dough rise in a warm place until it has risen about 50 percent in bulk, about 45 to 60 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated at this point until you are ready to bake crusts.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Punch down dough and form into 24 even pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch circle. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Arrange the circles oiled side down on baking sheet and let stand 5 minutes. Prebake crusts 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Set aside.

For Onion-Wild Mushroom Topping:

Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil, add sliced mushrooms and sauté until soft. Season with fresh thyme. Top prebaked crusts with onion-mushroom mixture and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crusts are browned. Serve.

Source: National Onion Association