Latin flavor
For the best defines Latin flavor I had always claimed garlic carried the weight of Latin cooking, and that might be true for our marinades (adobos). But there is hardly a Latin cooking sauce (sofrito) that does not call for bulb onions, leeks, chives, scallions or shallots. The sizzle of onions hitting hot oil and the mingled aroma of sautéed garlic and onions are the signature sensations of the Latin kitchen.
From region to region, the choice of onions is a badge of identity. In Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, red onions are preferred because they are perceived as more flavorful. In the Yucatan and Guatemala, where red onions are considerably more expensive, cooks of little means buy white ones and dye them red with beet juice.
Yellow or Spanish onions are most common in the United States and the favorite for sofritos and cooked dishes in the Hispanic Caribbean. Many cooks perceive them as sweet and soft, qualities that makes them less popular elsewhere. Colombians, highland Ecuadoreans and most Mexicans value the clean sharpness and firm texture of white onions.
It’s a lovely bonus to know that this essential ingredient promises important health benefits. Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in the outer layers of yellow and red onions (and to a lesser extent in white), has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and tumor-suppressing powers. Researchers also have found that quercetin contributes to cardiovascular health. Happily, it is not destroyed by heat, giving us the opportunity to cook our onions to our heart’s content and much better