Chopped Onion

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Sharp chef's knife or 15 cm utility knife
• •Stable cutting board
• •Clean lint-free cotton towel or doubled cheesecloth
• •Medium bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the onion finely

   Trim the stem end, leave the root intact, and halve the peeled onion through the root. Set each half flat-side down and make very close cuts toward the root, then slice crosswise into a fine, even mince. Gather the onion and pass the knife through it once or twice more if a finer texture is required, using the same close work you would give a shallot. Stop before the pieces collapse into paste.

   A sharp knife ruptures fewer cells than a blunt one, so the onion releases less pungent juice while you work and keeps a cleaner texture.
2. 2

   Wrap the mince

   Spread the chopped onion in one corner of a clean, lint-free cotton towel. Bring the corner loosely around it to make a shallow bundle, keeping the onion together without compressing it yet. Use an unscented towel with no trace of laundry fragrance, because raw onion will carry that perfume straight to the table.

3. 3

   Rinse it cold

   Hold the bundle over a bowl or sink and pour the very cold water steadily through the onion, loosening and turning the mince through the cloth with your fingers so every piece is washed. The runoff will begin cloudy and strongly scented, then become clearer. Cold water tempers the pungency while helping the onion remain firm and white.

4. 4

   Wring it firmly

   Gather the towel tightly above the onion and twist until the water is expressed and no steady drops fall. Press firmly, but don't grind the onion into the cloth; the finished pieces should remain distinct. If the onion still feels wet or smells aggressively sharp, loosen the bundle, rinse with more cold water, and twist again. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Loosen and use

   Open the towel at once and lift the onion into a dry bowl, separating any small clumps with your fingertips. It should look white and clean, feel barely damp rather than watery, and taste milder without becoming bland. Use it immediately in the marinade, cold sauce, condiment, or garnish that called for it, or cover and chill it promptly.

Chef Tips

• •Choose a firm everyday yellow onion with tight, dry skin. Sweet onions contain more water and less backbone, so rinsing can leave them soft and nearly flavorless.
• •Use smooth cotton or doubled cheesecloth, not a thick terry towel. The loops trap the fine onion and make you spend longer retrieving it than preparing it.
• •Rinse only when the onion will remain raw, be held briefly, or needs to stay pale. Onion intended to sweat, caramelize, or build a fond should not be washed; added water prevents browning and the pungency is useful there.
• •If the onion has already turned noticeably grey before rinsing, cold water can slow further discoloration but won't restore a snowy color. Use that batch in a cooked preparation and cut a fresh onion for a visible raw garnish.

Advance Preparation

• •Oignon haché may be prepared up to 24 hours ahead. Chill it in a tightly covered container lined with a small piece of dry paper towel to catch lingering moisture.
• •For the cleanest flavor and whitest color, prepare it as close to serving as practical. If liquid gathers during storage, wrap the onion in the towel and give it one more firm twist before use.
• •Do not freeze it for raw service. Freezing breaks the onion's structure, leaving the thawed mince watery and limp, though it can still go into a cooked sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 150g)