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Thanksgiving: Creamed Onions

Source of Recipe

From "Thanksgiving 101" by Rick Rodgers


Recipe Introduction

"When I serve creamed onions, I make Cheddar-Scalloped Baby Onions, which I love so much I sometimes worry that I might eat the whole dish by myself. Yet for many Americans it just isn't Thanksgiving without a blindingly white (and bland, to my taste) bowl of creamed onions on the table. Once I made a huge bowl at the request of my friend Rose Curry. When I proudly presented them to her, she took exactly two onions. 'I didn't say I liked them,' she said quietly. 'I just said it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without them!' My version uses milk and broth for a deeper flavor—the sauce turns out light beige, but the flavor makes the compromise worthwhile. If you want Mom's white-sauce-on-white-onions version, use all milk."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 cup milk
â—¦ 1 cup homemade turkey or chicken stock, or reduced-sodium canned chicken broth
â—¦ 1 bay leaf
â—¦ 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
â—¦ 2 (1-pound) bags thawed frozen baby onions, or 2 pounds pearl or white boiling onions, peeled and cooked


Recipe

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the milk, broth, and bay leaf until tiny bubbles appear around the edges of the milk, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour and let bubble without browning for 1 minute. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and no taste of raw flour remains, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Remove from the heat. Set the sauce aside. (The sauce can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat gently over low heat, stirring often, until hot.)

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the onions and return to the boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Drain very well. Return to the warm cooking pot. Add the warm sauce and mix well. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve immediately. (The creamed onions can be prepared up to 1 hour ahead, stored at room temperature. Reheat in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until heated through.)

Makes 8 to 12 servings




• When I serve plain creamed onions, I usually make them on the stove to avoid having one more baking dish in the oven. However, if you wish, mix the onions and sauce and place in a lightly buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and dot with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes. The dish can be made 1 day ahead, cooled, covered with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the sauce, and refrigerated. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350° F oven until the sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes.


• Cheddar-Scalloped Baby Onions:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare Creamed Onions, preferably with 2 pounds of fresh white, yellow, and red pearl onions. Stir 1 ½ cups extra-sharp Cheddar cheese into the hot creamed onions until melted. Transfer to a lightly buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Mix â…” cup freshly prepared bread crumbs (preferably from day-old crusty bread) and â…“ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the onions. Dot with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes. The onions can be prepared up to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated, for up to 1 day. Bake, uncovered, until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.