Tournament of Vegetables

Thanks to Megan Shram for sending me this somewhat contentious article on onions vs. potatoes from The National Post.

Based on points of accessibility, versatility, flavour, and health, which veggie do you think took the gold?

Read below for Alison Broverman's facscinating article:

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By Alison Broverman


For our final round, we went to Anthony Walsh, executive chef of Canoe. Says Walsh: “If I was asked, blind, to name the three cornerstones of my kitchen, potatoes and onions are both on that short list. I use them both constantly. It’s a tough choice, but I probably lean towards onion. If I was cooking for, say, Gordon Ramsay and could only use one vegetable, I think I can do more with an onion.”

And here we go... Potato vs Onion


POTATO
This tough tuber has come a long way, standing firm against carrot, sweet potato and beet to represent Roots and Tubers. In previous rounds, chefs Sharon Bergey and Christopher Perera couldn’t imagine their kitchens with the potato, and last week, Fresh’s Jennifer Houston demonstrated the potato’s more nutritious side and chose the spud over its leafy competitor, the cabbage. But will the potato cry tears of shame against its potent opponent, the onion?
Accessibility: “They can be stored forever as long as you keep them in the dark, dry and cold. We generally stock six or seven types of potatoes, from three different potato suppliers, but some types of potatoes aren’t as readily available for Joe Grocery Shopper. I’m always amazed at the crap they sometimes sell at some grocery stores: potatoes should be dirty and hard. You’re usually better off buying potatoes at farmer’s markets.” ★★★
Versatility: “The versatility is definitely there: I’ve done elements of desserts with potatoes, and you can serve them any which way for any course. I serve them hot, cold, fried, in soups, or just the skins. There are massive texture and flavour variants. The only thing I haven’t yet tried is making my own vodka, but I’d like to give it a shot.” ★★★★
Flavour: “It’s so basic — you can pull a lot of different flavours out of a potato depending on how you prepare it, but by itself…. There’s not a lot of flavour without horsing around with the potato.” ★★★
Health: Urban legend has it that a person can get all their necessary nutrients by eating only potatoes and milk (though why anyone would want to remains a mystery). But with 95% of its nutrients in and immediately under the skin, the potato’s health benefits are easily peeled away. And French fries don’t count as a serving of vegetables according to most nutritionists. ★★★



ONION
Dubbed “the king of the vegetables” early on by chef Jason Bangerter, and “the workhorse of the kitchen” by chef Donna Dooher, the onion has left a trail of tears in its path to victory. In last week’s semi-final, Anna Olson opted for onion as her “desert island” veggie. But how will the onion fare against the crowd-pleasing potato?
Accessibility: “The best ones are found locally, and there’s plenty of local variety: red, white, shallots, buttons, and more. We always try to stay as local as we can at Canoe. But onions store quite well, and you can get them pretty well year-round. When choosing an onion, you want them to be tight and hard as a rock.” ★★★
Versatility: “At the very base level of simple cooking, onions are the cornerstone. From béchamel sauce to stocks, they’re the basis of everything, and they’re a token addition to stir-fries. I can use the same type of onion four or five different ways in the same dish to build the flavour. It can be either a supporting or primary ingredient: there are plenty of dishes I make where onion is the centerpiece, like an onion soup served in an onion bowl.” ★★★★★
Flavour: “There’s such versatility in the flavour of onions. When they’re cooked, you’re usually talking about this great caramelized sweetness, which is a very attractive characteristic of the onion. But there’s also the harsh, raw, ‘onion-y’ flavour of an uncooked onion — it can have a natural heat. Do people order dishes because of onion? Of course not. But that’s why the dishes taste the way they do.” ★★★★★
Health: Onions have long been a home remedy for bacterial infections like earaches and coughs, due to their anti-bacterial properties. They also contain natural anti-clotting agents, so they can be effective in preventing heart disease and high blood pressure. Plus, studies have shown that onions contain a variety of sulfides that could prevent stomach and colon cancer. ★★★★

THE WINNER OF THE TOURNAMENT OF VEGETABLES IS:

ONION!



http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theappetizer/archive/2009/06/06/tournament-of-vegetables-zn-the-finale-the-real-deal-came-with-a-peel.aspx