Scallions go by many names. They’re also called green onions, and some call them spring onions, though true spring onions are larger, and the bottoms are bulbous. Gardeners call them bunching onions, since they can be planted close together. They grow straight and tall, never form a bulb, and can be harvested relatively soon after planting, in eight to ten weeks. Confusingly, scallions are called shallots in Louisiana, owing to the region’s French culinary roots, so when you see “shallots” on menus in New Orleans or in Creole cookbooks, it’s green onions they’re talking about.
Scallions are mild enough to use generously. A handful of chopped scallions can improve the flavor of nearly any savory dish. Even something as mundane as scallion cream cheese shows how scallions can add dimension to the simplest preparations.
I tend to use both the green top and white bottom, mixed together, especially if they are finely sliced. They are beautiful cut Asian-style, at a sharp angle, but they can also be sliced crosswise. I dice them small to include in mixtures of freshly chopped herbs for a brighter, livelier green garnish.
For the most part, I use scallions raw, sprinkled into broth or over all kinds of noodles, for instance, or folded into soft-scrambled eggs. And there’s an old James Beard recipe for thin-sliced raw onion sandwiches built on good white bread, slathered with mayonnaise. I make a version with scallions instead. They are not as dainty as cucumber-and-watercress tea sandwiches—better with beer.
Scallions can be cooked whole, charred in a hot skillet or over coals; simmered in a buttery bath to serve as a side vegetable; or steamed and sauced with a vinaigrette, like miniature leeks.
Golden Scallion Crepes
No eggs in this batter. The golden color comes from turmeric.
There are lots of versions of scallion pancakes, and it’s hard not to love them all. These are modeled after the Vietnamese crepes called banh xeo, made with a savory rice flour batter. This is a vegetarian version, bright with the flavor of basil and mint and the crunch of mung bean sprouts. The way to eat them is to wrap a bit of pancake in a lettuce leaf, then dunk it in a spicy dipping sauce. Serve these for lunch. (Actually, I’d have them for breakfast too.)
FOR THE BATTER
1 cup rice flour
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups cold water
Vegetable oil for cooking the crepes
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup mung bean sprouts, rinsed
A handful of mint leaves
A handful of basil leaves
6 large crisp lettuce leaves
To make the batter, whisk together the rice flour, turmeric, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cold water and whisk until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.
To make the crepes, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a crepe pan or small shallow skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Ladle ½ cup of the batter into the pan, tipping and swirling the pan to spread the batter to the edges. Sprinkle a small handful of sliced scallions over and cook until the bottom of the crepe is brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes (these crepes are cooked on one side only). Remove the crepe and blot gently on a paper towel. Make 5 more crepes in the same manner (don’t stack them).
Top each crepe with a few bean sprouts and some mint and basil leaves and fold in half. Serve with the lettuce leaves and dipping sauce. Makes 6 servings
Dipping Sauce
1 Thai or serrano chile (or more if desired), thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely minced or grated fresh ginger
2½ teaspoons sugar, or to taste
⅓ cup lime juice
¼ cup fish sauce (such as Red Boat, a high-quality Vietnamese brand)
Combine the chile, garlic, ginger, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Add more sugar if desired, or add water by the tablespoon if needed to soften the flavors. Makes about ⅔ cup
Japanese Scallion Custard
A fine custard is not always rich and sweet.
This Japanese savory egg custard, chawanmushi, is light and silky, perfect for a first course. It’s traditionally steamed in decorative little porcelain vessels, but you can certainly make it in small ramekins or tiny coffee or teacups. Served warm, it’s a nice alternative to soup.
4 large eggs
1½ cups Blond Chicken Broth or Dashi
3 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1 teaspoon mirin
½ teaspoon salt
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in the broth. Add the scallions, sesame oil, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and salt and mix thoroughly. Ladle into six small ramekins, using ⅓ cup of the mixture for each.
Place the ramekins in a steamer set over rapidly simmering water, lay a kitchen towel over the top (to avoid drops from condensation), and put on the lid. Steam for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the custards are just set. Carefully remove from the steamer and serve. Makes 6 servings
Scallions cut crosswise (in bowl) and diagonally (on board).
Scallion Schmear
Am I really arguing that you should make your own scallion cream cheese? Yes. This way, you can use first-rate cream cheese, which will make a better schmear. There is plenty of nostalgia for gummy Philadelphia-style cream cheese, but I prefer the fresher, natural, less-processed type available at any decent cheese shop. Better cheese and freshly chopped scallions make all the difference, and it takes no time. Just mix ½ cup slivered scallions into 8 ounces (1 cup) room-temperature cream cheese.
Charred Scallions
The most luscious scallions are flash-cooked over high heat, in a hot wok or cast-iron skillet or over a bed of glowing coals, and quickly, for only a few minutes. The exterior of the scallions gets charred, but the center stays tender, sweet, and green. This is a relatively primal way of cooking, with immediate, visceral appeal. You can leave the scallions whole, just trimming off the roots—best for grilling—or chop them into bite-sized 1-inch pieces so they can go straight from the scorching-hot wok to the diner’s rice bowl. It’s good messy fun to eat the whole scallions straight from the grill, when they are almost too hot to handle. In either case, coat the scallions lightly with oil and give them a pinch of salt before you char them.