Indulge in the comforting flavors of creamy pearl onions, a delightful dish cherished across Western culinary traditions. This recipe includes tender pearl onions in a velvety, savory sauce. Simple yet satisfying, it’s a perfect side to a variety of main courses.

Ingredients

• 1 pound pearl onions
• 1½ tablespoons butter
• 1½ tablespoons flour
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 1 large sage leaf or 1 bay leaf
• salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions

Put the unpeeled onions in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3-4 minutes, then drain and run cold water over them. Cut off the root end of the peel, then strip off the skin or squeeze the onion slightly and it will just pop out. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Off the heat stir in the flour to make a smooth paste. Stir in about 1/4 cup of the milk, then return to the heat and stir in the rest of the milk over moderate heat.

When the sauce thickens, add the onions and the sage or bay leaf. Season lightly and simmer over very low heat, stirring often to prevent sticking, until an onion feels tender when pierced with a fork. This ranges from 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the onions. Remove the sage or bay leaf before serving.