1. Remove papery skin, and slice off the top 1/4-inch of the onion.
2. Peel off any remaining brown skin and rest the onion on its newly cut flat surface. Starting at the center of the root end, slice the onion in half.
3. Rest half the onion on its largest flat side, root end pointing away from you. Position the tip of the knife about a half-inch from the root end. Slice down through the onion leaving about 1/4 inch between each cut.
4. Rotate the onion so that the root end points to your left (if you are right handed). Slice the onion again, leaving the same 1/4-inch between each cut. Discard root end. Repeat with other half.
