How To Dice An Onion

It’s a cold March day with occasional flurries of snow. This day calls for soup, homemade cream of tomato soup. As I was dicing the onion I wondered why it took me so many years to learn the easiest way to do it.

First, cut of the top of the onion, but leave the root end intact. Stand the onion on its head and cut it in half, going down through the root end. Peel off the outside layer(s) of one half. Now, lay the onion half cut side down and make deep slits toward the root end without cutting the root. Next, cut the onion crosswise. Make the last cut about ½ inch from the root end. That’s it. You’re done unless you need to dice the other half, too.

By the way, this homemade cream of tomato soup beats Campbell’s all to pieces. I've posted it before, but just in case...

Cream of Tomato Soup

3 T. butter or olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery with leaves

1 quart home-canned tomatoes or 2 pounds chopped fresh tomatoes

¼ t. dried thyme or ½ t. dried summer savory

½ t. dried basil

½ t. paprika

grindings of black pepper

3 T. flour

14 ounces chicken broth

½ cup half and half (or more if desired)

½ teaspoon sugar if desired

In a large saucepan, saute the onion, and celery in the butter or oil until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme or summer savory, basil, and paprika and cook another minute or so. Add the tomatoes and some black pepper.

Simmer 10 minutes if using fresh tomatoes. Home-canned tomatoes don’t need this step.

Add chicken broth, reserving ¼ cup. Cover and simmer for 10 to 25 minutes.

Stir the flour into the reserved chicken broth to dissolve. Slowly add to the tomato mixture while stirring.

Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Stir in cream. Return the soup to heat, but do not allow it to boil.

Serve it garnished with chopped parsley or chopped chives and a dollop of sour cream.

Snow has seriously started now. I’m going to eat soup.

Copyright 2013 by Shirley Domer