Onion skins in stock

Last post 22-08-2009 6:53 PM by Phot's-Moll. 10 replies.

• 20/08/2009 04:28 PM
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,072	Reply | Contact Been meaning to mention this for a while now. When I'm making stock or gravy, rather than use browning or that powder stuff, I simmer onion peelings, strain and add it to the mix. The peelings turn the gravy/stock a rich brown colour and give some flavour. Makes the gravy look like you've added Bisto

• 20/08/2009 05:06 PM

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  BB Location: Hereford Joined on: 12 May 2009 Posts: 729

  Reply | Contact I do a very similar thing when roasting a joint of meat Miranda. I got the idea from Jamie Oliver (not personally unfortunately). You place an onion quartered, a clove of garlic unpeeled, a small carrot whole and a couple of celery stalks under the joint of meat or chicken etc and roast. Then when it is cooked you mash the now soft veggies into the cooking juices and add hot water or stock. The gravy is a lovely dark brown colour and very tasty. BB

• 20/08/2009 06:56 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,072	Reply | Contact That sounds delicious, BB.

• 20/08/2009 10:44 PM

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  richardpeeej Location: Leicestershire Joined on: 22 May 2009 Posts: 3,498

  Reply | Contact We do that also BB and Miranda ,but we just use one onion quartered only and also put potatoes in there to roast  -must try it added with a small carrot and a clove of garlic next time. I boil the potatoes first for 10mins that we want to roast, then toss them around a bit in some cooking oil and score the surfaces with a knife then when you roast them there are nice crunchy bits on the outside (I saw that on TV once and been doing it ever since) -Richard

• 21/08/2009 04:03 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 4,547	Reply | Contact  Wonder if the onion skins would make rice an interesting colour? Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 21/08/2009 04:14 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,072	Reply | Contact I would think they'd make it brown, Phot's

• 21/08/2009 04:53 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 4,547	Reply | Contact  I suppose so - unles it was a red onion? Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 21/08/2009 06:35 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,072	Reply | Contact Could work. I should try it - you try it too, Phot's!

• 21/08/2009 06:55 PM

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  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 4,547

  Reply | Contact  As I'm typing this, I'm heating some water containing yellow onion kin and whole garam masala spices. I'll fish out the skin before adding the rice and report back on the colour. I'm doing a veg curry with all home grown veg and some home grown spices too, plus multi coloured tomato and onion salad and a leaf salad (can't call it green salad as there are lots of colours in there) all home grown. There's chicken too as him indoors doesn't think it's a proper dinner without meat, but I reckon I could have prepared a pretty good meal with all home grown food (maybe I could shoot a pigeon from the allotment and cook that one day?) Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 22/08/2009 11:45 AM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 4,072	Reply | Contact What was the result, Phot's?  The curry sounds good. What home grown spices did you use? When we were kids and my dad didn't have much money, he would shoot pigeons occasionally. He said that some were okay but others were really tough and chewy.

• 22/08/2009 06:53 PM

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  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 4,547

  Reply | Contact  The rice was yellow! Not as bright as if I'd used saffron, but still an attractive shade. I only used the yellowist parts of the skin, not the darker outside layer. The whole dinner was scrummy! Homegrown spices were fenugreek, chilli, garlic, carroway, bay and loads of coriander leaf and seed.  Not sure they're all technically spices? Are herbs leaves only and spices all the rest? The yoghurt dip had home grown mint in it and I used chives to sprinkle over the tandoori chicken. I grow lemongrass and different basils too, which go in thai curries, but I didn't use them yesterday. I considered growing ginger, but it needs a big pot and winter heat, so would take up windowsill space that's needed for seeds. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.