ROASTED CREAMED CIPOLLINI ONIONS

ROASTED CREAMED CIPOLLINI ONIONS image

Yield 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

2 lb whole Cipollini onions
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 peeled Cipollini onion studded with 2 whole cloves
1/4 bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
Grated nutmeg

Steps:

Put onions in a bowl and cover with boiling water After 1 minute, drain off the water. Using a sharp paring knife trim off the root end of the onion, leaving a little of the hard pad intact. It will soften as it cooks and it will keep the onion from slipping apart. Starting at the root end, peel away the outer layer of skin, then trim the tips. You may have to remove several layers of onion. Put the peeled onions in a roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss onions with olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast at 350 degrees for about an hour, until soft and caramelized. Stir gently every 15 minutes to keep them from sticking and to spread the color around. While the onions are roasting, reduce 1/4 cup white wine about in half. Add chicken broth, cream onion, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer and then turn off the heat and let steep for 10-15 minutes. In another slightly larger saucepan, proceed as for basic bechamel. Heat butter and add flour, whisking constantly to allow the flour to cook until the bechamel is a caramel color, about 5-8 minutes. Whisk in a few tablespoons of the steeped liquid from above (after removing onion and herbs) to loosen up the flour mixture, then whisk in the remainder, stirring constantly until thickened. Once the sauce is thickened, whisk in cheddar cheese. Season with salt and grating of nutmeg. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the onions into the sauce and stir gently to blend. May be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.