Grilled scallions (green onions) - Printable Version +- Cuisine at home Forums (https://forums.cuisineathome.com) +-- Thread: Grilled scallions (green onions) (/showthread.php?tid=136173)

Grilled scallions (green onions) - labradors - 05-30-2012 One thing that I discovered on my previous trip to Guatemala was probably something that won't be news to some people here but that impressed me enough to write the following while I was back in Guatemala this past weekend. ----- Probably most of us on this forum like green onions but how many of us would eat a whole one - green and white - in one sitting? That may seem like a lot for one person, but what if I were to tell you that you could be eating four or five whole scallions and asking for more? Well, when you order churrasquito in Guatemala, you'll get not only the bits of steak and the requisite refried black beans, fried ripe plantains and a chunk of queso blanco but also two whopping, twelve-inch flour tortillas and four or five grilled, WHOLE green onions! Yes, that is all on a single plate for ONE person, Since I had remembered the gigantic portion from my last visit, this time I specifically requested only the meat and the scallions (and they talked me into adding a grilled half potato). The little strips of steak were reasonably tasty and not very tough, but the reason I remembered and went back to this eatery was the grilled scallions. Although they still retained a tiny bit of the bite or sting that green onions can have, they were actually somewhat sweet and, as the Aussies would say when I watch Masterchef Australia, definitely "moreish." Honestly, even just PART of a green onion can sometimes be overwhelming, but I could eat a whole platter of these grilled ones with no problem. When I first encountered these, I googled for more information when I got home. One recipe suggested mixing adobo seasoning (the powder from the spice aisle, not the sauce in the canned chipotles) with softened butter and spreading that mixture onto the scallions before grilling them. Another said to use olive oil with chopped rosemary and parsley (and actually cooked them in foil before just finishing them on the grill). Since I hadn't found anything to indicate the traditional, authentic, Guatemalan way, I kept a close eye on the grill as my meal was prepared and I asked a few questions, as well. The green onions had not been prepared in any special way (apart from cleaning them up and trimming off the roots and any scraggly parts of the greens) and they were just placed directly onto the hot grill (by "grill" I mean the big griddle that many people often call a "grill" and that some would call the "flat top"). After she had cooked them for about three minutes, she sprinkled a tiny bit of vegetable oil onto them, flipped them and cooked them the same amount on the other side - once in a while, during the whole process, pressing down on them with the grill spatula. That's all! There's no reason this shouldn't work on a home griddle or even a good sauté pan, so I'm seeing a lot more green onions in my future. YUM! Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - Mare749 - 05-30-2012 Hmmm...this is interesting, Labs. We use green onions all the time. In fact, I keep a container of chopped/sliced scallions in the freezer all the time, since it's so easy to take out a handful for soups and stews. On one of Tony Bourdain's shows, he was visiting a farm where grilling scallions is an annual event. I'm not positive, but I think they put "bundles" on an outdoor grill to cook them. When they were done, they used some kind of dipping sauce in a big bowl and put the whole scallion through it before eating it. Tony raved about this. I better go plant some scallions in my garden! ETA: Oops, almost forgot! Welcome home! Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - esgunn - 05-30-2012 Thanks for sharing Labs. I love green onions and we go through quite a few. I will definately have to give this one a try. Fun to see pictures from other countries - especially the authentic ones! Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - Lorraine - 05-30-2012 We put them on our grilled vegetable platters, and they are one of the first things to go. Folks love them. We toss them in an olive oil vinaigrette, then onto the grill. Or, plain olive oil, S&P. They are great on sandwiches or pizza. Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - Harborwitch - 05-30-2012 Very interesting Labs. We have some beautiful "scallions" growing here in a few places. On a Cooking Channel show - "From Spain With Love" they did a segment on these giant scallions. They were pulled from the ground, cleaned up a bit, wrapped in newspaper and put on the fire (grill). When the newspaper was char they pulled the onions and ate them. I have the show recorded, will have to watch to see if they dipped them. We're thinking about trying it with the onions growing here. We frequently pick up the green onions in the Mexican grocery - they're a bit bulbous on the ends. We love them just tossed with olive oil and thrown on the grill. Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - cjs - 05-30-2012 I've recently added to my recipes when writing to use 'green and white' of the green onions. I had no idea so many did not use the green part. I always have and grilled green onions are one of our favorite garnishing tools. Nice thread, Labs and to echo Maryann - Welcome home...safe and sound. Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - Harborwitch - 05-30-2012 Jean we've always used the green and white part - unless it was obvious that the green part would not be appropriate. There's so much flavor in the green part! Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - Gourmet_Mom - 05-30-2012 I've grilled them also. They are wonderful! I always have to watch William, though....else there would be none left for dinner. Re: Grilled scallions (green onions) - iBcookin - 05-31-2012 That sounds absolutely delicious, don't know why I never thought about grilling them. This time of year, one of my favorites was always grilled vidalia onions, so this would be the same type of thing!