RED ONION OF TROPEA: CULTIVATION, PROPERTIES AND RECIPES

The red onion of Tropea is a type of Allium cepa grown in Calabria, mainly cultivated in Nicotera (Vibo Valentia) and Campora San Giovanni (Amantea, Cosenza) and produced in the municipality of Ricadi between Briatico and Capo Vaticano. It has a round or ovoid shape and is composed of several concentric white tunics with a red casing. It has been grown in these territories for about 2000 years and was probably imported here by the Phoenicians: for more than a hundred years, moreover, the red onion has contributed to the socio-economic development of the area. The taste of the vegetable is sweeter than other types of onion, and this depends on the stable microclimate of the winter period, the proximity of the sea and the silty soils.

TROPEA ONION GROWING

In detail, the production area of ​​the Tropea red onion includes the following suitable territories:

Province of Catanzaro: Nocera Terinese, Falerna, Gizzeria, Lamezia Terme, Curinga
Province of Vibo Valentia: Pizzo, Vibo Valentia, Briatico, Parghelia, Zambrone, Zaccanopoli, Zungri, Drapia, Tropea, Ricadi, Spilinga, Joppolo, Nicotera
Province of Cosenza: Fiumefreddo, Longobardi, Serra d'Aiello, Belmonte, Amantea

The sowing of Tropea onions begins in August in alveolar containers, in the nursery or in the field. For early onions, transplanting is done from October to January, while for late onions, transplanting is done from January to March, when the plants reach 15 cm in height and have 4 or 5 leaves. As for spring onions, it is possible to transplant seedlings, sow directly or sow the bulbs from the previous year, carefully stored and placed in the ground from August onwards. Among the various cultivation operations, irrigation is used, taking into account the type of soil and rainfall patterns. After harvesting, the spring onion bulbs must be cleaned of the soil-dirtied outer skin and the tails must be trimmed by about 40 cm. The spring onions must then be placed in bands in the boxes. As for onions for fresh consumption, the bulbs must be stripped of their outer skin, the tails must be cut if they are longer than 60 cm and the onions must be gathered in bundles of 5 or 8 kilos and placed in boxes. Onions for storage are instead placed in swaths on the ground, covered with the same leaves and left to dry for 8 -15 days: in this way they become more compact, resistant and bright red in colour. Once dehydrated, the bulbs can be removed from the tops and used to produce the typical braids.

RED ONION OF TROPEA: THE TYPES

We distinguish 3 different types of Tropea red onion:

Spring onion : white-pink or purple in colour and with a tender, sweet flavour
Onion for fresh consumption : colour from white-red to purple, tender and sweet flavour
Onion for storage : red-purple color and sweet and crunchy flavor

TROPEA ONION: PROPERTIES, THERAPEUTIC VIRTUES AND CONTRAINDICATIONS

The vegetable has a great nutritional value as it is rich in mineral salts and vitamins , including vitamin C and E. It has ferments that aid digestion , but also trace elements such as selenium, iron, zinc, iodine, fluorine, calcium and phosphorus. It contains flavonoids that have diuretic power and glucokinin, an anti-diabetic plant hormone. The Tropea onion is also used for therapeutic purposes:
By applying the juice on the skin, it acts as an antibiotic and antibacterial
By combining the juice with honey, you can prepare an excellent expectorant and decongestant for the pharynx. Gargling with onion juice can cure tonsillitis.
It is an excellent diuretic and purifying agent, used especially for those suffering from thrombosis
It also has sedative properties, and is useful in case of sleep problems.

The bulbs also act as hypoglycemics , lowering blood glucose levels and reducing insulin doses. The benefits of Tropea onion are also applied in homeopathy, for example in the case of colds, and as a phytotherapeutic remedy for abscesses or chilblains. In the latter case, a decoction should be prepared by boiling the onion slices for 15 minutes. After the cooking time has elapsed, filter and apply the fluid to the affected area. The onion-based decoction is also excellent for those with dry skin.
Several medical studies have shown that red onion reduces the risk of liver, colon, ovarian and laryngeal cancer, thanks to its high content of flavonoids, quercetin, mineral salts and phenols, along with potassium and iron. In fact, onions free the body from toxins, reducing the risk of inflammation and eliminating any tumor outbreaks.
To get all these benefits, it is necessary to consume the vegetable raw, so to remedy bad breath, you need to chew two cloves. Consumption is not recommended for those who suffer from ulcers and hyperacidity, especially raw, so in these cases it is preferable to eat the cooked onion.

RED ONION: RECIPES

With the red onion of Tropea you can make countless recipes: in general, the onion soffritto can be the basis of sauces, pan-fried meats, sautéed vegetables. Raw it can be used in the preparation of sandwiches, tramezzini and especially mixed salads, including the classic Calabrian tomato salad: diced tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, salt, oregano and basil... An hour in the fridge and the salad is ready! Then there are specific recipes in which the main element is the red onion, let's see some of the most inviting ones.

SWEET AND SOUR TROPEA ONION

Do you need a quick and easy side dish? Then we recommend the preparation of sweet and sour Tropea onions. Here's how to prepare it:

Ingredients

• 300 g of Tropea onions
• 100 ml of water
• 5 g of sugar
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• salt

Preparation:

• mix together the water, vinegar and sugar
• wash, clean the onions and cut them into wedges
• brown the onions in a pan with the oil for about 2 minutes
• add the mixture, a pinch of salt and cook with the lid on for 15 minutes
• uncover, let dry and add a little more sugar

BAKED TROPEA ONION

If you want a tasty side dish to accompany a roast or meatloaf, another very simple recipe is baked red onion. The preparation is really quick:

Ingredients

• 350 g of red onions
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preparation:

• wash, peel the onions and cut them into large slices
• Place them in a baking dish covered with baking paper and add oil, salt and pepper
• Bake at 220° for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally

TROPEA ONIONS GRATINATED IN THE OVEN RECIPE

A variation of the simple baked onion is the recipe for gratinated onions, which uses more ingredients, but is still simple to prepare. Here's how to do it:

Ingredients

• 4 Tropea onions
• 200 g. of breadcrumbs
• 20 g. of pecorino cheese
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• parsley
• mint

Preparation

• Wash the onions and cut them in half. In a bowl add the breadcrumbs, pecorino, chopped parsley, mint, oil, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Place the onions in a baking dish with oil and salt and bake for 10 minutes at 180°
• Remove the onions from the oven, add the breadcrumbs, more oil and cook for another 30 minutes

CARAMELIZED TROPEA ONION

For a tasty aperitif, we recommend bruschetta and crostini topped with caramelized Tropea onion, which can also be used as a side dish for meat-based dishes. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 500 g. of red onions
• 40 g of sugar
• 80 g of brown sugar
• 130 g. of water

Preparation:

• wash, peel the onions and cut them into slices
• pour the onions into a pan together with the brown sugar and the granulated sugar, mix and add the water
• cook for an hour on low heat and stir occasionally