Home › The Principles of Cookery › Onions, Stewed

Onions, Stewed

Peel and trim half a dozen Spanish onions of medium size, but be careful not to cut the tops too short, or the bulbs will fall to pieces whilst stewing. Blanch them in boiling water for a minute or two, then drain them, and put them side by side in a saucepan sufficiently large to hold them all in one layer. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them, and place upon each onion half an ounce of butter, mixed smoothly with half a tea-spoonful of powdered sugar. Place them over a gentle fire, and let them remain until lightly browned, then cover with good brown gravy, and simmer them until tender. Serve as hot as possible on toast, with the gravy poured round them. If liked, the gravy may be flavoured with tomato-sauce, or with a finely-minced gherkin and a glass of claret. A pleasing variety, too, may be secured by taking out the middle of each onion, stuffing it with nicely-seasoned forcemeat, and then stewing in gravy as before. Time to stew the onions, about an hour and a half. Probable cost of onions, 1 1/2d. each. Sufficient for five or six persons.