Egyptian walking onions

I was given a single perennial walking onion three years ago. I planted it, then didn't pay much attention as I didn't really know what to do with them. The onions didn't have a specific time when the needed to be harvested and they had these funny topsets bulbs.

But I've gradually become braver and have been pulling up a few plants now and then. They look like scallions or bunching onions, but the flavor is unique and pungent - similar to a shallot. They tend to disintegrate with cooking, so I like to add them to a stir fry or an omelet as it finishes cooking.

I haven't yet tried eating the topsets. I hear some say they are tasty and some say they are not. My walking onions have multiplied fast, and without any help form me. Sometimes I move a venturesome topset from a path and put it back in the bed. In midsummer, as new shoots come up and old ones die back, I clean up the clump by pulling out the dead onions. Mostly, they do their own thing. I have quite a big clump of them now and am growing quite fond of them.

grilled vegetables

This is our dinner the night of a harvest. Everything grilled outside: sweet potatoes, white potatoes, beets, carrots and some greens from my perennial (walking) onion.

To grill, my husband gets a nice hardwood fire going, then puts vegetable slices on and brushes with olive oil and turns them as they cook. He keeps them far enough from the fire so they can cook for about 20 minutes, but close enough so they brown nicely during this time.

perennial onion

A friend of mine grows perennial onions and I asked for one. I planted it in the corner of a bed at my community plot. But I'm still confused about what on earth this is.... I'll have to ask more questions next time I see her.

I have read about perennial onions at Bifurcated Carrots. OK. I guess they are like chives, but they make bulbs as well as greens. Sounds reasonable. And they also make top sets that are like little onion bulbs that can be planted for more onions. OK. Patrick also writes that their best use is for green onions. Super. I'll look forward to this.

Right now its just a scrawny single onion stem. I assume it will turn into a clump after a while. Another new veggie to watch!