Using Up Onion Tops: Making Scallion Pancakes
We grow a LOT of onions, enough for an onion a day for the year. Even though our focus is on the onion bulbs I don't want those beautiful and yummy green tops to go to waste. Throughout the summer some of the onion tops will get broken or damaged and when that happens I head out to snip them off and make scallion pancakes!!! These are super delicious and versatile. Cut them int quarters and dip into a soy based dipping sauce. They make a wonderful and flavorful alternative to Naan with your favorite curry or dahl. I also use them in place of tortillas for breakfast tacos, quesadillas or fish tacos. They are also easy to freeze and a great summery surprise in the middle of winter.
This is adapted from Bon Appetit Scallion Pancake recipe. It is easily doubled or tripled depending on how many onion tops you have and if you want to freeze them.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups AP Flour
1 T Table Kelp
1 Cup Boiling Water
3-4 Cups Chopped Green Onion (I like a lot of onions in mine!!)
2-3 T Sesame Oil
2-3 T Olive Oil
Directions: In a bowl mix together the flour and the table kelp. Stir in the boiling water and mix until a rough dough forms. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or an overturned bowl so it doesn't dry out and allow it to rest on the counter for at least an hour. When the dough is rested divide it into 8 pieces. Work one piece at a time, keep the rest covered to prevent drying out. On a well floured surface roll a piece out till its as thin as you can stand making it. Spread a liberal 1/2 cup or more of the green onions on to the pancake, spreading them out evenly over the surface. Roll your pancake up from the long side, just like if you were making cinnamon roll, until you have made a long scallion pancake snake.
Then starting at one ends coil the pancake snake into a circle. With the heel of your hand press down and flatten the coil. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Always keeping each piece before and after adding the green onion under cover so they stay moist.
When all 8 pieces have been rolled and green onion-ed its time to start turning them into pancakes. Working one at a time on a well floured surface roll each disk out until its 5-6 inches in diameter. Brush sesame oil onto the top and cook over medium heat on a well oiled skillet (brush with either sesame or olive oil) for 4-5 minutes then flip for another 4-5 minutes. I don't time the cooking I basically use the time it takes to roll of the next coil as my guide. You want the pancakes to be cooked through have some browning and bubbles. If you want to freeze them, allow them to cool completely before putting them in a freezer bag. To reheat them, pull them out fully frozen and cook on a heated skillet until hot and crispy.