A salad made from ‘waste’ spring onion tops

Whole spring onions are about twice the size of those sold in most shops. They have long, bushy tops that are usually cut off in the fields and discarded, to help pack them neatly and prolong shelf life. It’s our obsession with aesthetically perfect produce and abundance, filling shelves to the brim with food that can’t possibly be sold, that wastes most of our fresh food. But with an efficient logistics system, it would reach us fresher and more nutritious, and wouldn’t need to be wasted, even when it has a short shelf life.

At some markets, you can buy spring onions whole, with their tendrils intact. At home, many recipes tell us to cut off the tops and use just the white part. Ignore that advice, if you aren’t already, and use the whole vegetable. Savour those darker green, papery tops, and use them as a delicious ingredient in their own right. They have a subtle, onion flavour, are crisp and crunchy, and can be wilted like leeks, used in hot dishes or chopped finely into salads, such as today’s tabbouleh – my wintry twist on the summer classic.

Spring onion-top tabbouleh

The tops from spring onions are delicious in tabbouleh, adding to the light texture and aroma with the parsley and mint. Swap out or add any seasonal vegetables you have to hand; just be sure to chop or shred them finely. To keep spring onions fresher for longer, store them upright in a glass with a little water at the bottom, to feed them. Serves four as a side dish.