Onions in Onions
Serves 6

Add some grated parmesan or gruyere cheese to the white sauce if you like.

2 TBL butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups whole milk
small bay leaf
1/4 onion stuck with 2 cloves
3 large red onions (3-4-inches in diameter)
12 oz. bag frozen whole small white onions
1 TBL butter
1/3 cup breadcrumbs

Make a white sauce (bechamel) by melting butter in a heavy saucepan until foamy. Whisk in the flour until smooth, cooking for 3 or 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Stir until thickened. Add onion and bay leaf and simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes. Remove onion and bay leaf.

Peel red onion, cutting off only a minimum amount at the root and stem ends. Place into gently boiling salted water to cover until barely done (about 25 minutes). Do not overcook or onions will fall apart in handling. Drain and cut each onion in half crosswise. Carefully remove center rings to make a hole 2-3-inches wide.

Melt 1 TBL butter in a small skillet, add bread crumbs, and toss briefly. Place small onions in the bechamel and heat. Arrange the 6 red onion halves in a casserole dish and fill centers with the small onions. Sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over onions.

Broil onions to brown breadcrumbs if dish has just been assembled from hot ingredients. If onions were assembled ahead of time, heat stuffed onions in a hot oven (400F to 425F) until center is hot and breadcrumbs are brown.