Onions au Gratin

[ruthcooks]

Onions au Gratin

Serves 8 as Side.

Though I love onions in most ways, I'm not fond of creamed onions. This gratin is the onion dish of the gods, really good with prime rib roast as well as on the Thanksgiving table. Usually I cut the onions in half (not many onion lovers in my family), add some Swiss cheese to the other half of the sauce and make another gratin of green beans.

• 4 lb white or yellow onions
  
• 5 hard cooked eggs
  

Pepper, white or freshly ground black or white

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Sauce Supreme:

• 3 T butter
  
• 4 T flour
  
• 1 c rich homemade chicken stock
  
• 1 c half and half or light cream
  

Salt, white pepper and grated nutmeg

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Topping:

• 1 c soft bread crumbs
  
• 4 T butter
  

Cut the onions roughly into eighths and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain well and chop finely. Chop the eggs finely. I often chop eggs with my pastry blender, which is lots easier to wash than the processor. Works for the onions also, if you are cutting the recipe in half.

Make the sauce as for Bechamel, and season with salt, white pepper and a touch of nutmeg.

For the crumb topping, melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the crumbs. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for a few minutes, but don't let them get brown.

Assembly: Stir the onions and eggs into the sauce and taste for seasonings. Turn into a buttered 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 inch square casserole dish. Top with crumbs. May cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and crumbs have browned. Length of time will range from 30 minutes to an hour, depending upon whether casserole is still warm or cold.

Keywords: Side, Easy, Vegetables

( RG732 )