Serve this side dish with any roasted meat, such as ham, turkey, or roast beef.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/3 lb small (1 1/2-inch) onions
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh
  • flat-leaf parsley

    DIRECTIONS

    Cut off tip and root ends of onions. Peel, quarter, then separate onion layers. Cook onions in boiling salted water to cover in a 2-quart saucepan until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, and drain in a colander.
    Melt butter in saucepan over moderate heat. Add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add cream in a slow stream, whisking, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add onions, cloves, and salt and pepper to taste and gently simmer 5 minutes. Stir in parsley.

    Cooks’ note:
    • The onion-cooking liquid is very flavorful, so save it to add to a soup or stew instead of stock or broth.