HOW TO DRY ONIONS
Dehydrating onions is a great way of preserving them in an easy-to-use form. Due to the fact that they're 88% water, they shrink quite a lot when dried, which means they take up less storage space & will keep for a long time.
Due to the strong smell of onions, it's advisable not to do any other produce at the same time!
To dry your onions, simply peel & slice them into 5mm slices or rings. Spread them onto Mesh Sheets & dehydrate at 55 deg C (Snackmaker - Medium) for 10 hours or until they are crisp.
To turn your dried onion into flakes or powder, put them into a food processor or blender & process until ground into the desired size. To create onion salt, mix equal parts salt with finely ground onion powder.
To store, put into an airtight container & store in a dry, dark & cool place.
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CAULIFLOWER & BACON SOUP
Ingredients
2 cups dehydrated cauliflower
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
3 rashers bacon, chopped
1 Tbsp dehydrated onion
1/4 tsp dehydrated garlic
4 cups good chicken stock
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 potato, chopped
1 tsp dehydrated celery leaves
1 tsp dried dill
1/2 cup cream
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
Method
Barely cover cauliflower with boiling water & leave covered, for 30 minutes.
Fry bacon in hot oil until crisp, using the saucepan in which the soup is to be cooked. Lower heat, add onion & garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, parsley, potato, celery leaves & dill, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add cauliflower & soaking liquid, simmer for a further 15 minutes. Cool soup slightly, place in a blender & process until smooth.
Return to pan, add cream & warm through. Taste before adding seasoning.
Serve with crusty bread & enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Drying Food, by Ricky M Gribling.
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ONION SALAD DRESSING
Ingredients
1 cup rehydrated diced white onions
2 tsp chopped rehydrated garlic, or
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups olive oil or other oil
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
Method
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor & process until thoroughly mixed. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Keeps refrigerated for 3-4 weeks.
Using this as a base recipe you can substitue different flavours of vinegar, such as balsamic or tarragon.
This recipe can be used on top of your fresh salad, or as a marinade for meat & poultry.
Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of The Dehydrator Cookbook, by Joanna White.
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ONION PIE
Ingredients
Ready-rolled short pastry to line a 20cm (8in) pie dish
1 cup dehydrated onion
1 Tbsp oil
1 cup yoghurt
2 eggs
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Line a greased 20cm (8in) pie dish with pastry. Prick holes in the bottom with a fork, bake in a moderate oven at 180 deg C for 10 minutes.
Place oil in a warm frypan and cook onions quickly. Remove from heat, allow to cool. Beat together yoghurt, eggs and sugar, add cumin, salt & pepper.
Spread onion over pastry, top with the yoghurt mixture & cook at 200 deg C for 40 minutes or until set.
Serve with vegetables or salad & enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Drying Food, by Ricky M Gribling
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ONION SOUP
Ingredients
1 cup dehydrated onion flakes
1 Tbsp oil
3 cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
4 slices French bread
4 Tbsp grated Swiss cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Quickly fry onions in oil, add stock & bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes, adjust seasoning.
Lightly toast bread, sprinkle with cheese, grill for 2 minutes.
Pour soup into a bowl, top with bread & cheese and enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Drying Food, by Ricky M Gribling.
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