Creamed Onions

Creamed onions is a traditional dish, which originated in England and has gained popularity at American Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. In the olden times, almost everyone had big gardens, but the produce could not be stored through the winter. Hence, when the last lot of the onions were dug, the smaller ones were saved and were used to make them. This dish is normally served as a side dish with some kind of meat, often barbeque meat. Traditionally it is made with tiny pearl onions, heavy cream or milk, butter and flour. The dish is then topped with grated nutmeg. Once you know how to make creamed onions, you will understand it is fairly easy to make and it can also be served immediately after it is made.

Creamed Onion Recipes

Recipe # 1
This is one of the most traditional and authentic recipe of creamed onions I have come across. This recipe suffices for a family of 4.

Ingredients

• Pearl Onions 1 cup
• Water 4 cups
• Butter or Margarine 6 tablespoons
• All-Purpose Flour 6 tablespoons
• Milk 3 cups
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

• In a pot bring water to a boil.
• While the water is boiling, peel the onions and then drop them into the water.
• Let the onions cook till they are tender.
• Drain the onions, but do not throw away the liquid.
• Keep the onions aside while you make the sauce.
• In a saucepan melt butter or margarine over medium heat.
• Add flour to the butter and mix well to form a paste.
• Slowly add milk and the water you just drained to the flour and stir constantly.
• Let it cook till the mixture thickens.
• Now add salt and pepper to the mixture.
• At last add onions, mix well and serve creamed onions.

Recipe # 2
This is a different variation of creamed onion, which is a deviation from the traditional recipe, nevertheless it makes great baked creamed onions.

Ingredients

• Pearl Onions 3 pounds
• Extra Virgin Oil 3 tablespoons
• Salt 1 teaspoon
• Beef / Chicken Broth ½ cup
• Butter 1 tablespoons
• All-Purpose Flour ¼ cups
• Low Fat Milk 3 cups
• Bay Leaf 1
• Fresh Thyme (chopped) 1 teaspoons
• White Pepper ¼ teaspoon
• Lemon Juice 2 teaspoons

Method

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add onions to the water without peeling.
• Let the onions cook for about a minute, so that the skin loosens.
• Once the onions cool, trim both the ends, but leave sufficient root to the ends to keep the onions whole, as we have to roast the onions. Now peel the skin off.
• In a large mixing bowl toss the onions with 1 tablespoon of oil and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
• In a roasting pan line the onions in a single layer.
• Roast the onions until they are soft and brown spots appear on them. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour.
• Remove the pan from the oven and add broth to the onions, stir and scrap any brown bits.
• Return the pan to the oven and let the onions roast for another 10 minutes.
• In a saucepan melt butter and add remaining oil and heat it over medium heat.
• Add all-purpose flour and whisk well, until you see bubbles and there are no lumps.
• Now whisk in milk, bay leaf, thyme, pepper and salt and bring the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and let the sauce cook until it thickens, but do not forget to continue stirring.
• The sauce should reach the consistency of a thick gravy; it will take about 5 minutes. Remove the sauce from heat and discard the bay leaf.
• Now stir in the roasted onions in the sauce and add lemon juice.
• Transfer them into a serving dish and serve warm.

Some of the recipes also demand grated cheddar cheese or sautéed mushrooms. If you are fond of spicy food, then you can also add hot sauce to creamed onions. An alternative to hot sauce is pepper.