SPEC 01 / ALLIUM CEPA
Brown Onions
The staple ingredient
The most common onion in the UK, and the staple product of the onion world. Versatile enough for almost any savoury dish, brown onions generally carry quite a strong flavour, though this varies considerably with time of year and variety.
For most of the year the onions on any good supermarket shelf are British. During June and July, when stored UK crop is past its best, we import from the Southern Hemisphere to keep quality up. It is a popular misconception that Spanish onions are milder; studies show this is not the case.
Seasonality
When it is at its best.
Harvested, cured, then held in controlled-atmosphere stores to protect quality through the season. We always push to extend the British season, never at the expense of quality.
In the kitchen
How to use them
General cooking. Diced in a spaghetti bolognese, sliced and fried for hot dogs or burgers, soups and stews, onion gravy, or barbecued on kebabs.
At home
How to store them
Store in a cool dry place, out of any packaging, particularly plastic film. Towards the end of the storage season, in May and June, the green sprout grows faster and bulbs soften if left too long. The shoot is the bulb trying to reproduce; it does not affect eating quality.
Next up
Red Onions