Pearl onions are small, round vegetables related to leeks and bulb onions, often pickled when less than an inch in diameter. They come in various colors and are used in American, Asian, and European cuisines. Cultivation involves planting seeds tightly and densely, and harvesting when desired size is reached. They are often marinated and used as a condiment or garnish, and can be added to soups, sauces, and side dishes.
A pearl onion (Allium cepa), also called a boiler, spring onion, or button onion, is a small, round vegetable related to leeks and bulb onion. This type of tree onion forms clusters of spherical, whitish bulbs that are often pickled when they are about an inch or less in diameter. Edible bulbs can also be red, brown, or yellow in color and have a pungent odor and mild flavor. These onions are grown all over the world and used in American, Asian and European cuisines.
There are several varieties of pearl onions. Most belong to the Allium cepa species, but are named and marketed according to where they are grown. Some pearl onions sold are just ordinary onion bulbs harvested while still small enough to look like real pearl onions. A separate species of pearl onion, Allium ampeloprasum, has a bulb formed from a single leaf and can be found in Germany and the Netherlands. Another variety is the flat-shaped cepollini, grown in Italy, which have yellowish flesh and thin, paper-like skin.
Cultivation consists of planting the seeds tightly and densely, and then harvesting them when they reach the desired size. They are planted closely to intentionally stunt their growth. On average, seeds weighing a total of 80 to 110 pounds (36 to 50 kg) are planted in one acre (4,000 square meters) of land. Pearl onions can also be propagated by projectile plantings grown during the previous year. It will take nearly two years for a pearl onion tree to produce bulbs sweet enough for sale.
When harvesting, pearl onions are cut to separate the roots. The entire plant bed is lifted, then the bulbs are transferred to special conveyors designed for small onions. They are stored in open areas or cold storage in warehouses and arranged in shallow piles to minimize moisture, which will accelerate decomposition. At home, they can be kept at room temperature just before cooking.
Pearled onions are typically marinated and used as a condiment and garnish to make a cocktail onion. They are often served as side dishes and can be added to soups, sauces and dishes such as succotash and omelette. The small size and mild flavor of a pearl onion make it an ideal prep relish. It is best to boil the bulb and then cool it with ice water so that the skin can be peeled off more easily.
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