Another question from the kitchen: too many scallions!

[MEmama]

I know, it doesn’t seem like there can be too many scallions, but my poor fridge is bursting with them. We have been receiving an over abundance of delicious, **giant** scallions from our farm share but I just can’t use them all fast enough.

Does anyone have a way to preserve them? I freeze most extra veggies, but scallions won’t freeze well (or will they?). Any other ideas? 

[Arcadia]

They do freeze well.  I use them for Korean scallion pancakes (pajeon) when I have excess scallions. 

[Lady Marmalade]

Scallion pesto is a thing and is delicious tossed with egg noodles.  🙂   I find that pesto freezes flawlessly. 

[MEmama]

18 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

They do freeze well.  I use them for Korean scallion pancakes (pajeon) when I have excess scallions. 

Oh yay! Idk why I assumed they wouldn’t freeze. I froze chives once and they just got dry, maybe I figured it would be similar (and probably I was lazy and froze the chives wrong, now that I think about it.).

I loooove scallion pancakes! 

[MEmama]

17 minutes ago, Lady Marmalade said:

Scallion pesto is a thing and is delicious tossed with egg noodles.  🙂   I find that pesto freezes flawlessly. 

Scallion pesto sounds so yum! Thanks for the suggestion…off to find a recipe! And it sounds amazing over egg noodles…
 

I have frozen pesto in ice cube trays. Worked really well. 

[happi duck]

I think pickled scallions is a thing.

[Melissa in Australia]

What is a scallion? 

[kbutton]

I haven't tried to freeze them, but if you're worried, I think you could lightly cook them first and have good results. It might depend on how you store them as well--freezers that defrost themselves do tend to make things dry and have ice crystals, simultaneously.

If fresh from a garden, I would love to have the too many scallions problem--I pretty much don't care for onions unless they are scallions, but I really like scallions. 

Sometimes if I don't have regular onions around, my DH likes them lightly cooked on burgers. I don't chop them up in this instance, just cut them into lengths that fit on a bun. 

[Matryoshka]

2 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

What is a scallion? 

Do you call them green onions?  They're in that family, but they've just got a teeny bulb part and the rest is green stalk 

[kbutton]

2 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

What is a scallion? 

Small onions that are mostly just greens. You basically pick them before the bulb forms. 

[kbutton]

https://dieteticdirections.com/scallions-vs-green-onions/

@Melissa in Australia

I think only some varieties work well for this, but I imagine you can use any variety you want if you like the flavor. I use only yellow or white onions, with yellow being preferred. I tend to pluck up every other onion so that if I can't use them all before they start growing really fast (when the weather gets hot), then the bulbs have room to form. The rest of the family eats them then. 

[MEmama]

6 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

What is a scallion? 

https://www.google.com/search?q=scallion+photo&client=safari&hl=en-us&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=vC4qnm_ssKNI_M%2CojpRN3rTX6PXfM%2C_&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kTOU1VyNDFwIUZzcUkwrdQMuEUExQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwijvoGu5JryAhWrVN8KHZ30BvQQ9QF6BAgYEAE&biw=1269&bih=824#imgrc=vC4qnm_ssKNI_M

[MEmama]

11 minutes ago, happi duck said:

I think pickled scallions is a thing.

Yum!!!

[MEmama]

So tomorrow I’m totally making this https://www.healingtomato.com/vegan-pesto/ and attempting pickled scallions. I’m so excited. 🙂 

[mathnerd]

I cut into pieces and freeze extras in a plastic box, that way I can top it up when I get more surplus and also grab some to throw into my fried rice or soups anytime. They keep well in the fridge for a couple of weeks for me, so if you are planning to use them in that timeframe, you don't have to freeze. I add scallions to almost everything: burritos, quesadillas, fried rice, stir fries, soups etc etc. I recently watched a video of Korean pickled scallions/Kimchi which I am going to try soon when I have surplus ( https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/pa-kimchi  there is a vegetarian substitute for the fish sauce in that recipe).

Edited August 5, 2021 by mathnerd

[Arcadia]

37 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

What is a scallion? 

Spring onions 

https://www.newideafood.com.au/scallions

[Melissa in Australia]

59 minutes ago, Matryoshka said:

Do you call them green onions?  They're in that family, but they've just got a teeny bulb part and the rest is green stalk 

Ah a spring onion

Thanks

[Melissa in Australia]

If they have the roots on them you can plant them straight into the ground. They keep very well in the ground. Frost doesn't bother them, I have no experiance of snow though. They grow year round. 

I would plant the excess and pick as needed

[Carol in Cal.]

They freeze fine unless you want to use them in salads.  They do get a little limper on freezing and thawing, but that is fine for cooked recipes—stir fries, quiches, etc.  You might separate the white bulb slices from the green ones in the freezer, and then only use the whites for salads as they are a bit hardier.

Also, I make mixed allium quiche a lot this time of the year, which uses quite a bit.  I chop up whatever other onions I have around (white, yellow, red), enough to make about 3/4 cup, and saute them in olive oil along with a thinly sliced chicken apple or Italian sausage, and then add about a cup of sliced green onions for the last two minutes of cooking.  Sprinkle in 1/4 tsp white pepper and 1/4 tsp nutmeg.  Let it cool while I cube about 4 oz each of Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses and toss together.  Beat 4 eggs with 1 cup or so of milk or cream (a mix is good—1/4 cup cream and the rest 1% milk is pretty typical for me.).  Put the cheese mixture into a deep dish pie crust (I use the Marie Callendar’s ones when I can find them—good to have in the freezer), and then slowly pour in the egg mixture until the crust is basically just about full, discarding excess if there is any.  Bake on a cookie sheet at 425 for about 35 minutes, until the egg is set and the top starts to brown just a little bit.  This is absolutely awesome.  Also, you can sub in cooked, drained mushrooms for part of the onions to good effect.  

[bibiche]

There are some excellent hot sauce recipes from the islands that use a lot a lot of scallions. Maybe search Trinidadian hot sauce or green hot sauce?

[Kanin]

My mom dries chives in the oven on a low heat. I bet dried scallions would be awesome! 

[Arcadia]

You can also use them the same way as fried shallots. The lady in the link puts them in ziplock bags in the freezer, I put any leftovers in a jar. 
https://butteroverbae.com/how-to-make-crispy-fried-onions/

[marbel]

3 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

If they have the roots on them you can plant them straight into the ground. They keep very well in the ground. Frost doesn't bother them, I have no experiance of snow though. They grow year round. 

I would plant the excess and pick as needed

Yes! I have been also been regrowing them:   https://www.bonappetit.com/story/regrow-scallions

[Pippen]

We love these Cheddar Chive Biscuits and I'm sure you could substitute scallions. (Note:  I usually grate the butter and add it the usual way instead of using the method because I'm starting with powdered milk.) 

https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-cheddar-chive-biscuits/

[MEmama]

Pickled scallions! Apparently they can even be canned!

Scallion pesto up next…and then I’m afraid I’ll run out of scallions and have to buy more so I can make all your other suggestions! 😂