The common onion, a large bulb, contains a very pungent flavoring due to a volatile oil, rich in sulphur. This odor, like the odor of cabbage, is dissipated and thrown off by careless cooking. Onions must be soaked in cold water an hour before cooking; cook in boiling salted water, in an uncovered vessel. Serve plain or with cream, or with butter. They are wholesome, rather easy of digestion when carefully cooked, and are stimulating to the intestines. They are valuable in cases of chronic constipation. Made into cream soup, they may be given to invalids who have no cardiac trouble, the aged and children.

How To Boil Onions

Peel off the skins, and then remove another layer even if it seems to be tender. Soak them in cold water for a half hour, then boil in salted water until perfectly tender, about three quarters of an hour; drain, saving the water in which they were boiled as a flavoring for beef or other soup. Add a little salt, butter, or salt and cream.

Baked Onions I

Peel a good-sized Bermuda onion, throw it into cold water for a half hour, then boil it in salted water for twenty minutes; drain, wipe it dry with a towel, brush it with butter, dust lightly with salt, wrap it in a piece of oiled paper, put it in an individual baking dish or a ramekin, and bake in a slow oven three quarters of an hour.

To eat, untwist the top of the paper and scoop out the center of the onion with a spoon, much as you would eat an egg from the shell.

Baked Onions II

Peel off the outside of the onion until you have reached the very tender layer. Put them into a baking dish; cover with water. Cover the baking dish, and cook in a moderate oven one hour. Dish, and serve with a little salt and butter.

Boiled Onions For Asthmatics

Peel the onions; throw them into boiling water; add a teaspoonful of salt, and boil carefully for three quarters of an hour. Drain, and press through a sieve. Reheat; add a tablespoonful of cream, and serve in a heated dish.

Stuffed Spanish Onion

Procure a medium-sized Spanish onion, throw it, without peeling, into a kettle of boiling salted water; keep it near the boiling point, but do not let it boil, for three-quarters of an hour. Take it out with a skimmer, remove the outside skin, open it lightly and scoop out the center. Fill this space with nicely-seasoned chopped meat - beef or chicken; wrap the onion in waxed paper, stand it in an individual baking dish and bake in a moderate oven one hour.

To serve, remove the paper, lift the onion carefully to a small dish, put over a little melted butter or cream sauce, and serve.

In cases of rheumatism, where meat is forbidden, stuff it with chopped almonds mixed with bread crumbs and the soft portion of the onion that was scooped out.

Scullions Or Spring Onions

Those who can digest them, may eat these raw with salt, or sliced over lettuce salad. The center soft part may be boiled in salt water and served the same as asparagus.