Chopping onions

[Kristal]

Has anyone tried a mezzaluna/hachoir to chop onions? If so, how good was the result and was the device easy to use?

If you know of a manual or small electrical gadget for this task, please advise.

No need to relate tips on how to chop with a knife.

[CheekyChops]

I've got one but to be honest, I don't use it to chop onions. It is better suited to small stuff, like garlic and ginger or for chopping herbs.

[shaneystar2]

I have got Superpepper by Alessi . I use it to chop onions and vegetables small for soups and stuff. Expensive but worth it for me as I find it difficult these days with my arthriticky fingers to chop stuff up into really tiny pieces ....good for garlic too!

[bednobs]

i have soething like the superpepper, but the onion always gets stuck on the first press down

[Bellringer]

Look for something called a "V Slicer". It is a sort of mandolin. It will slice, thick or thin and will chop onions very finely or coarsely depending which blade you use. I have had one for years now it is great. I last saw one advertised in a catalogue which came as junk mail. I got mine at a Country Show.

[rosojoly]

do the same as my wife get your partner to do it

[Figi]

Use your food processor.

[yesmadam]

I use a Culinaire for fastness and it's so easy to clean too...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/William-Levene-Culinar e-Manual-Processor/dp/B0007IQQ12/ref=sr_1_7/20 2-1268988-5429449?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=117275 1912&sr=8-7

[Kristal]

Just to thank all you guys out there for very useful answers.

[Donquixote]

I don't mean this in a condascending way, but if you chop your onions in a particular manner it's far, far easier, and much quicker to just use a good sharp knife!
If you peel and halve your onion, cutting through from top to tail, make sure you don't cut away the small, slightly tough part at the bottom of the onion - this holds the layers together. All you then do is place the half-onion on the chopping board with the tail-end facing away from you, and finely slice through the onion, from one side to the other, LEAVING a small gap at the top of each slice so that the onion is still in one piece. Then, quarter turn the onion anti-clockwise, slice horizontally through it once or twice depending on the size of the onion, from top to tail (again, ensuring you don't slice all the way). Finally, slice vertically down through the onion, from right to left (working from the cut end to where it's joined) to give a perfect fine dice.
It sounds complicated when it's written down, but it's really easy. Given a little practice you can prepare a whole onion in seconds.

[shaneystar2]

Hmmm ....yes.. ..I used to be able to do things like that ....I find it difficult to peel a potato these days !!
I do find it patronising.... these little gadgets are godsend for me ....same as the remark "use your food processor. " What if Kristal doesn't have a food processor.?

[Kristal]

My goodness - what a lot of interest this has raised. Don Quixote - will try your method. Probably need someone to read it out while I do it your way.

Shaneystar2 - I do have a food processor which incorporates an electric chopper but both pulverise the onion before I know it.

Will suss out evryone's gadgets and if nothing pleases I'll just
go for the ready chopped frozen variety..