Oignons Glacés à Brun (Brown-braised Onions)

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Oignons Glacés à Brun (Brown-braised Onions)

These are the onions called for in classic French recipes such as coq au vin and boeuf bourguignon, or with a mixture of other vegetables. They also make a lovely garnish for a roast, or atop dressing for a chicken or duck.  (Excerpted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck with permission from Alfred A. Knopf. All rights reserved.)
Ingredients:
  • 18 to 24 peeled white onions about 1 inch in diameter
  • 1½ tablespoons butter
  • 1½ tablespoons oil
  • a 9- to 10-inch skillet
  • ½ cup brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • a medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay lead, and ¼ t thyme tied in cheesecloth (Note: I didn’t have cheesecloth, so I used a bag for loose tea, and knotted it at the end. I read that a coffee filter could also be used.)
Method:
  1. When butter and oil are bubbling in the skillet, add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possibly. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.
  2. To braise them: Pour in the liquid, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet.
 
Note: The onions may be cooked hours in advance, and reheated before serving.