Brown-Glazed Onions

A family favorite (usually served at Thanksgiving) inspired by a recipe from Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume I. We love the beef stock glaze. This recipe really calls for a homemade stock: supermarket stock, even low sodium, contains far too much salt.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 21  white onions, about 1-inch
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  oil
• 1⁄2 cup  beef stock
•  salt and pepper
• 4  sprigs parsley
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh thyme leave

Directions

1. Onions: One recipe requires 18-24 onions. Peel the onions (which is made easier by blanching them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes).
2. Tie bouquet garni ingredients in cheesecloth (parsley, bay leaf, and thyme).
3. Heat a 9- or 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and oil - when they are bubbling, add the onions, rolling them to brown them as evenly as possible all over. This will take about 10 minutes. Try not to break the skins.
4. Then, either bake or braise on the stovetop.
5. To braise stovetop:
6. Pour in the liquid and season with salt and pepper. Add the bouquet.
7. Cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes until the onions are tender, retain their shape, and the liquid is reduced to a sticky glaze. Remove, discard the bouquet, and serve.
8. To bake:
9. Preheat oven to 350°F.
10. Transfer the onions and their cooking fat to a baking dish or casserole (onions need to fit in a single layer).
11. Bake, uncovered, in the upper third of the oven for 40-50 minutes, turning them once or twice, until they are tender and keep their shapes. Remove the bouquet and serve.