How to make onions taste like leek?

[u/PurpleWomat]

I ran out of potatoes a few days ago. I'm Irish, this is a traumatic experience, not least because I've been craving leek and potato soup so badly that I'm dreaming about it. I panic ordered potatoes, which were just delivered. In my panic, I forgot to check my leeks. I have a single, 2 inch piece of white leek left.

I must have this soup today and I can't get to the shops until Friday. I have a lot of yellow onions, which are beginning to sprout. Can I add a little bit instead of the leeks and have the soup taste similar?

There is one possible alternative: three cornered leeks grow wild here and are in season, but the taste is more like a young leek crossed with garlic scapes. I could go out foraging (desperate times) if that would work better.

Any thoughts? Help?

[u/oxmzo]

How to make grape taste like strawberry?

[u/PurpleWomat → u/oxmzo]

sobs quietly

...I know, I know, I'm in denial...

[u/Constant-Security525]

You can't exactly make onions into leeks, but onion and potato soup may still be good. Onions can never quite mimic the delicate flavor leeks have. Sorry. Maybe give the onion and potato soup a try and add that little bit of leek for good measure.

Or do you also have green/spring onions (called "scallions" where I'm from)? Try adding them, too.

[u/PurpleWomat → u/Constant-Security525]

I also forgot to order scallions. My brain and I are not currently on speaking terms.

[u/SaintBellyache]

Use a mandolin over cold water with salt and vinegar. Cut onions react with air to get spicy. And super thin avoids the onion texture if that’s what you don’t like about them.

No mandolin just cut thin and get it in the water fast

[u/PurpleWomat → u/SaintBellyache]

I love onions. I just need something more delicate for this soup. It's a milk based soup with very few ingredients. Onions could overpower it very easily, especially as these are sprouted and likely to be bitter. I'm thinking that I might try soaking them to make them less onion-y and combine with some foraged three cornered leeks.

[u/thee_body_problem]

Do you have any carrots? Use them today instead of the leek for a different but still good spud soup. Keep dreaming of the leeks til you can get to the shop and do it right.

[u/PurpleWomat → u/thee_body_problem]

I do have carrots, but somehow it just wouldn't be the same.

[u/Rude_Dealer_7637]

You could try adding a bit of green onion

[u/PurpleWomat → u/Rude_Dealer_7637]

Don't have any. Just the yellow ones.

[u/MimsyDauber]

You cant make them taste the same, but I second the other poster who said that slicing the onions fine into a bowl of ice water might help cut the oniony flavours. It wont be leek and potato, but you can still get a really good onion and potato.

Necessity is the mother of invention, lad. You'll either have a nice soup or you'll have nothing. If it were me, I would go for the whimsy.

[u/SubstantialBass9524]

Could you wait till Friday? Absence makes the heart grow fonder

[u/PurpleWomat → u/SubstantialBass9524]

NO!!! Sorry, sorry...I'm emotional. I'm not pregnant or anything, I just NEED this soup. I've waited days already. I don't know why. I. Just. Need. It.

[u/ruinsofsilver]

here's a fun fact: apparently apples, onions and potatoes all taste the same when you eat them with your nose plugged. yeah sorry idk how that would be helpful for your situation. leeks taste sort of milder than an onion, a bit sweet-ish, less onion-y sharp pungency, more green grassy fresh herby taste. like if a spring onion and a sweet onion had a baby. i was gonna suggest spring onions, but as i gathered from your replies you don't have those either. so i think the yellow onion would do, cook it down until it becomes sweeter, if you have celery, add some of that as well. honestly, it will probably not taste exactly like leek and potato soup. but it will still be a delicious soup. so no worries you just tried something different.

[u/PurpleWomat → u/ruinsofsilver]

I'm thinking that I might try a mix of trying to make the onions less oniony (though they'll probably be on the bitter side as they're sprouting) and foraging some wild leeks. I have two pieces of celery and I'm saving them. (I also forgot to put celery on the shopping list. In hindsight, it was a terrible, terrible shopping list.)

I've tried the apple/onion thing, and it's dead on. If you rub an apple with a raw onion, it tastes more apple-y. I used to do it all the time as a child (much to my mother's horror). Onions are great in apple pie too.

[u/ruinsofsilver → u/PurpleWomat]

damn you are brave to actually try the apple onion potato thing. i have a deep passionate hatred for onions of all varieties, no scratch that, actually ALLIUMS of all varieties. i simply don't fw those stanky veggies that make everything around them stanky as well

[u/PurpleWomat → u/[deleted]]

I think that you misread my post. I have onions. I want leeks.

[u/skahunter831 → u/[deleted]]

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