Baked Creamed Pearl Onions

Ingredients for Baked Creamed Onions Recipe: (4 servings as side dish) 

• 1 1/2 lbs. fresh pearl onions
• 12 oz. heavy cream
• 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and finely grated into a small bowl
• 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 2/3 cup coarse unseasoned dried breadcrumbs, such as panko
• 1 tbsp. flat leaf (Italian) parsley, minced
• 1/4 +  tsp.  kosher salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Chopped chives for garnish (optional)

Directions: 

Begin by blanching the fresh pearl onions in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain and allow to cool for several minutes and bring another pot of water to a simmer while you peel the pearl onions. 

How to peel pearl onions:  When the blanched pearl onions are cool enough to handle, cut the tops off the onions off and holding on to the onion at the root end, push upward so the onion pops away from the skin. Easy! 

Trim the root ends off – just barely, do not cut the entire bottom off! 

Return the onions to the pot of simmering water and cook for 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. While the onions are cooking, make the cream sauce. 

Roux for the sauce:  In a medium sauce pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter on medium heat, add the flour and whisk together.  Cook on medium, whisking often until the roux just begins to color.  Whisk in the cream, grated onion (along with the onion juice), fresh nutmeg,  1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grates of black  pepper. Whisk thoroughly until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the bay leaf and cook on low, whisking occasionally while you toast the bread crumbs and preheat an oven to 350°. 

To toast the breadcrumbs:  Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a shallow skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and parsley and stir ( or toss, as you prefer)  often until the bread crumbs just begin to color. salt and pepper to taste. 

To put it all together:  Drain the cooked onions and add to a buttered oven-proof serving dish.  Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and correct the sauce for salt and pepper. Pour the cream sauce over the onions, then add the toasted buttered crumbs over the top. If you choose to not add the crumbs on top, these will, by all means, still be a delicious side dish! 

Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes, until it gets bubbly and the crumbs start to brown.  Add some chopped chives for garnish (optional) and serve immediately. Enjoy!  It’s a perfect Thanksgiving side dish, or as a side casserole for any roasted meat. 

Trouble shooting the cream sauce: If your cream sauce is too thick, gradually stir in more cream until it thins to the consistency you like.  On the other hand, if the sauce is not thick enough, make some more roux in a seperate pan and gradually add some to the sauce, stirring all the while, while the sauce is at a bare simmer until as it’s as thick as you like.