Onions (Oignons).—These, unlike other vegetables, need no cleansing beyond the removal of the stalk and top ends, and of one or two of the outer skins. But they do need blanching, a point often overlooked by our cooks, and hence the accusation of coarseness often brought against this vegetable. As soon as they are trimmed, blanch them by putting them on in slightly salted cold water, and as soon as this boils up strain it off, and if to be served plain boiled, finish boiling the onions in fresh salted boiling water till cooked, which will take, for large Spanish onions, from two to three hours, smaller ones of course taking proportionately less.