Also called green onions, scallions have a mild, sweet flavor; raw or cooked, they can be used in a variety of dishes.
Scallions are young onions that are harvested when their tops are still green. Although they are available all year, scallions are at their peak in spring and summer.
Choose scallions with crisp green tops and clean white bulbs. As a rule, scallions with slender bulbs are the sweetest.
Unlike other onions, scallions are very perishable. Refrigerate them in a sealed plastic bag, and use within three days. Before cooking, cut away any wilted parts from the tops, trim the roots from the bulb, and wash thoroughly.
Besides being higher than other onions in folate and potassium, scallions provide a significant amount of beta-carotene (in the green tops).