Small onions

The first thing in the pan in half the world's recipes.

What to do with it

Classics built on it

BurgundianBœuf bourguignonBeef braised slowly in red Burgundy with bacon, small onions and mushrooms until it falls apart.No one here has made it yet BurgundianCoq au vinA cockerel or chicken braised in red wine with bacon, mushrooms and small onions, the sauce thickened with its own juices.No one here has made it yet

Kinds

Brown / yellow: The all-rounder; sweetens as it browns.
Red: Milder — good raw.
White: Sharp and clean.

Knowing it

Where to buy: Anywhere. Firm, with dry, papery skins.
Worth knowing: Properly browned takes 30 minutes or more on low heat, not ten.

Kitchens that keep it in

Burgundy — east-central France, from Chablis down to the MâconnaisBurgundianRed wine in the pot as much as the glass, with Charolais beef, bacon, mushrooms, snails, mustard and the cheeses and hams of the hills.7 classics