Nothing beats the Walla Walla Sweet.

Byline: Fresh approach by Jan Roberts-Dominguez For The Register-Guard

IN A FERTILE southwest Washington valley where high-quality wheat, peas, hay, asparagus, spinach and snap beans vie for space, the Walla Walla Sweet onion calls about 800 acres home.

The onions are planted in early fall at almost 1,000 feet above sea level and slumber through Pacific Northwest winters that typically dip down into the mid-20s.

Then, in early spring, as this tiny bit of heaven nestled up against the Blue Mountains responds to warmer days and kinder nights, the fields of sweets awaken. Sleek, blue-green leaves multiply, thicken and reach for the sun - a good sign that a healthy crop is forming below.

How healthy? In mid-June, when pickers begin to gently pry each onion from the earth, some of the bulbs will weigh up to 2 pounds and measure a whopping 5 inches in diameter.

And so it goes. Every summer, by the third week in June, growers of these beloved onions from the rolling hills and gentle valleys around Walla Walla, Wash., see to it that we have a generous supply of this popular orb to take us through the end of August.

It's a ritual that's been going on for more than 80 years, and today, a growing number of fans nationwide gobble 20,000-plus tons of the plump and juicy bulbs almost as quickly as growers can raise and ship them.

That's probably a very good thing, since the two qualities that garner high praise for Walla Walla Sweets - a mild nature and juicy character - also make them susceptible to mold, which in turn shortens their shelf life.

Only onions grown within a two-county area, stretching from Tochet, Wash., to Milton-Freewater, Ore., can legally claim the name Walla Walla Sweet. But imposters abound. So in order to protect the reputation of the real Walla Walla Sweet, a Federal Marketing Order was established in 1995 to protect buyers from imposter onions and to protect growers within the legal production area.

Violators can be prosecuted under federal law. A trademark logo helps ensure that customers are getting the genuine Walla Walla Sweet onion. So look for it at the display and on each individual onion every time you pick up your supply.

What makes a sweet onion like the Walla Walla Sweet?

The short answer? They've been bred for sweetness. Walla Walla Sweet onion growers and plant breeders cross-bred the Walla Walla over many, many seasons, each year selecting the characteristics that are desirable - high sugar, low sulphur, great flavor, jumbo size - which eventually ended up with a seed variety that produces all of that.

Of course, research continues in the never-ending quest for a Walla Walla Sweet that retains all of those wonderful traits and is even more resistant to disease.

What makes a sweet onion sweeter?

This is where the environment comes in to play. That is, growing sweet onion seeds in the exact climate and soil conditions in which they will live up to their fullest potential. For the Walla Walla Sweet, that means warm days, cool nights during the latter part of its growing season when it's in its final phase of bulbing, and fertile volcanic soil that's low in sulfur.

Cooking with Walla Walla Sweets

Because of its sweet and gentle nature, this onion is best suited for less robust concoctions. This is where it shines. Long, slow cooking in butter turns a pile of crisp, raw rings into a decadent platter of caramelized (remember that high sugar content?) paradise, fit to accompany your finest sizzling sirloin.

Baking or barbecuing the onions whole - with a small well hollowed out of the top for a dollop of herbed butter - is another way to take advantage of their dramatic size and delicate flavor.

And don't forget raw. Thanks to their mildness, you can use enough to impart a transcendent fresh, crisp texture to salads and sandwiches that just can't be achieved in any other way.

This also would be a good time to revisit one of my old friends, Walla Walla Salsa Salsa.

I created this salsa recipe during a camping trip several years ago. Since I had only a vague idea of how I wanted the recipe to turn out, I had packed along just about every ingredient I could think of that might work in a fresh salsa: Walla Walla Sweets, roasted and peeled Anaheim chilies, garlic, tomatoes, pine nuts, olives, olive oil and more.

When I set it out at the evening happy hour, my fellow campers devoured it in less than 10 minutes. Then, while scraping the last remnants from the bowl with broken bits of tortilla chip, one of the group comedians christened this one-in-a-million dip: `Walla Walla Salsa Salsa.'

As its title implies, this one bears repeating.

Walla Walla Salsa Salsa

4 large or 7 medium Anaheim chilies, roasted and peeled (see note)

1 large Walla Walla Sweet onion, diced (if unavailable, use 1/2 cup chopped green onions)

2 cans (2.5 ounce) sliced olives, drained

5 Roma (Italian plum) tomatoes, diced

1 to 2 cups diced cucumber

1/2 cup virgin olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar 

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper 

1/3 cup pine nuts

Remove stems, seeds and inner membrane from the chilies, then chop. In medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped chilies with the Walla Walla Sweet onions, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.

Mix well, then add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but this may be prepared up to 6 hours ahead. When ready to serve, stir in the pine nuts. Serve with tortilla chips. Yields about 6 cups.

To roast Anaheim chilies: Poke each chili once with a sharp knife to avoid explosions in the oven. Place the chilies on a baking sheet and broil until dark golden on all sides, then place them in a plastic bag for about 10 minutes to steam away the outer skin. Remove chilies from bag, and with your fingers, peel away the skin.

Summer Couscous Salad

2 Walla Walla Sweet onions, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 1/2 cups regular-strength chicken broth 

3 3/4 cups couscous

3 jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained (reserve marinade)

4 firm ripe tomatoes

2 cups fresh-cooked corn kernels (from 3 average-sized ears)

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

3 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers 

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Red or white wine vinegar to taste, if necessary

In a large, heavy pot, over medium-high heat, saute the onion in the olive oil until the onion is lightly browned. Add broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the couscous, then cover the pan and remove it from the heat.

Let the pot stand until the couscous absorbs the broth, about 5 minutes.

After the couscous has absorbed the liquid, remove the lid and fluff the mixture with a fork; set it aside to cool.

Meanwhile, chop the artichoke hearts into 1/2 -inch chunks. Core and dice the tomato. Stir the artichokes, tomato, corn, basil, capers and pepper into the couscous. Stir in a bit of the marinade, to lightly moisten.

If it lacks "zip," add a tablespoon or so of vinegar and toss to evenly coat the ingredients. Serve at room temperature, or chilled.

May be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve. Serves 12 to 18.

Grilled and Roasted Walla Walla Sweet Onions With Pine Nut Butter

4 medium Walla Walla Sweet onions

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pine nuts (divided), toasted

3 ounces unsalted butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs for garnish

Toast the pine nuts in a 350-degree oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool. Caution: Pine nuts burn easily.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and fire up an outdoor grill. Peel the onions and cut them in half, top to bottom. Brush onions with oil and place cut side down on the preheated grill. Barbeque until grill marks form. Place on a cookie sheet and finish cooking in the oven until tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pine nut butter. Place the 1/2 cup pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add butter, lemon zest, rosemary, black pepper and salt. Process until mixture is well blended.

Spread the tender onions liberally with pine nut butter. Return to the oven and cook just until butter is melted, about 2 minutes.

Serve onions warm, sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and additional toasted pine nuts. Garnish plates with lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs.

Recipe from the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee.

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a food writer from Corvallis. Her e-mail address is [e-mail].