French-fried onions

So you got your turkey, stuffing, yams and the pumpkin pie good to go for the big day tomorrow. But did you remember the green bean casserole? This traditional side dish may not be an essential dish in Hawaii, but for the rest of the country, it's a holiday staple. And no green bean casserole is complete without those crispy french-fried onions.

The basics: French-fried onions are battered, deep-fried onion pieces that are commercially produced for use as a garnish in a number of dishes. The history of the ingredient is somewhat sketchy, but it is believed to have been created in the '30s by a company called Olney & Carpenter.

Fried onions became famous in the '50s as an ingredient in the green bean casserole. Several companies acquired the product through the years until French's took it over in the '80s. The onion pieces do not resemble onion rings and are more like onion chips.

They are crispy right out of the can and should remain crispy for several weeks if stored properly. The flavor is similar to eating extra-crispy onion rings.

In 2002, French's introduced Cheddar french-fried onions.

Storing: The shelf life of an unopened can is said to be about a year. After opening, French's makes storage easy with a resealable can top. They can also be stored in the refrigerator but because of the fat content may solidify a bit, altering the taste.

Use: Although french-fried onions can be used to garnish everything from Asian Chicken Salad to pizza, they are most famous for their use in the green bean casserole.

If you've never indulged in this American classic, why not surprise your family and friends this year with a simple recipe from the French's company Web site?

Original Green Bean Casserole

1 can (10-3/4 ounce) Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 packages (9 ounce each) frozen cut green beans, thawed
1-1/3 cups French Fried Onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine soup, milk and pepper in a 1-1/2-quart baking dish; stir until blended. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup french-fried onions. Bake 30 minutes or until hot. Stir. Sprinkle with remaining 2/3 cup french-fried onions. Bake 5 minutes more or until onions are golden. Serves 6.

Where to buy: French-fried onions are available in most supermarkets year-round for $3 to $4 for a 6-ounce can or $1 to $2 for a 2.8-ounce can. Happy feasting!

Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga is
a free-lance food writer. Contact her
online through features@starbulletin.com

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