wrote in message
...

As to (actual) onions, cut the root and stem ends off, remove outer peel,
cut in
half from root to stem ends, and briefly rinse. Further cut as
needed/appropriate.

Years ago, I sold 'Judys Hot Dogs' in downtown Portland, OR, and each
morning was charged with the duty of stocking the onion trays with about 10
dozen sliced onions. Everyone in the place had their own method of slicing
and dicing, but I discovered a method almost exactly like yours above that
ensured that I had a pile of nice, clean chopped onion, with no evidence of
the outer skin, and nice regular pieces.

Slice the root and stem ends off. Look at the end, and if the center ring is
offcenter, place the onion so that the very center of the middle shell is on
the midline. (this is exactly the same as how you split wood with an offset
center, if you get my drift. Orient it so that the axe passes through the
center of the heartwood). Slice the onion in half through the root/stem
ends.

Once you have a pile of onion halves, sans ends, then go peel off the outer
wrapper and put the clean interiors aside. You don't even need to rinse them
if you are careful peeling off the skin.

Taked your pile of clean onion halves and cut them in slices parallel to the
root or stem end, turn 90deg and slice in a 'radiant' pattern down towards
the center.


Years later (that would be a few years ago), I saw some chef on a cooking
channel give a quick tutorial on how to properly chop onions to make clean,
even slices, and he used my method. SWMBO turned to me and said 'hey, you
should charge royalties!'

:-)
--riverman