Jeni Wright, Eric Treuille, Le Cordon Bleu

Preparing Pearl Onions

Appears in
top 1000Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques
Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques

By Jeni Wright, Eric Treuille and Le Cordon Bleu

Published 1996

  • About
These small onions, also known as baby or button onions, are ideal for braising whole or pickling. The skins are thin and papery and can be difficult to remove. Steeping them in hot water first helps to loosen the skins before peeling.
  1. Place the onions in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let steep for a few minutes until the skins begin to soften.

  2. Drain the onions, rinse under cold running water, then peel away the skins with a small knife. Keep as much length to the stem ends as possible to prevent the centres from popping out. Discard skins.