Puree of White Onions Soubise and Puree of Onions, Brown

For the first puree, mince a pound and a half of white onions, plunge them into boiling, salted water and let them parboil for ten minutes, drain them well and put them into a saucepan over a slow fire to allow the moisture to evaporate, add a little good stock and let reduce till dry, then pour in a pint of well thickened bechamel (No. 409), and reduce the preparation over a brisk fire until it becomes consistent. Season with salt and sugar, pass through a sieve and return it to the saucepan and heat the puree without letting it boil, adding a little melted meat glaze (No. 402).

To make the brown puree, abstain from parboiling the onions, but instead, fry them very slowly until they assume a fine color, then mingle in a little espagnole (No. 414), and reduce till consistent; strain the puree, heat it once more and add to it a little melted glaze (No. 400).