In the culinary world, presentation plays an important role in the dining experience. While most of us would put a lot more importance on the flavours and texture, visual appeal is also important. There are many ingredients out there with artistic potential, including onions. They can be transformed into beautiful decorations, from onion carving, onion flowers, and onion rings.
So how do you go about carving an onion?
- Start by selecting the right onion; a large one with tight layers. Red onions are more commonly used for decorations due to their colour.
- To provide a stable base for carving remove the outer skin and trim the ends. Also make sure to plan your design before you start. Roses or birds are simpler shapes perfect for beginners!
- When you start, use a sharp knife or a small carving tool, and be sure to be careful. Vegetable carving takes precision so do be patient and take your time to ensure clean cuts.
- To preserve the carved onion, soak it in ice for 15 minutes.
While the basics are simple, practice makes perfect! Start with simple designs and then move slowly on to more intricate ones, taking your time with each piece. Try to experiment with different onion varieties as well, and make sure to keep your tools sharp for an easier carving experience.
Whether you’re carving intricate patterns, fashioning delicate onion flowers, or using crispy onion rings creatively, the possibilities are endless.
M&P Engineering is a leading designer and manufacturer of food processing equipment, including our world-renowned onion peeling machine.
M&P Engineering’s onion peeling machine uses a system of self-adjusting floating knife assemblies to top, tail and peel onions in a dry peeling process. The dry onion peeling process is able to work with up to 750kg of onions per hour. See it in action here.
M&P Engineering also offers a wide range of food processing machinery in addition to onion peeling machines, including our freshcut machinery: the Carousel Grid Cutting machine and the Radish Top & Tailer.
To learn more about us and our machines, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our team today. Call us on +44 (0)161 872 8378 or contact us here.