Creamed Onions and Mushrooms
This little dish and I go way back.
I don't remember the exact year, but dates aren't important when it comes to love. Yes, it's true. I love these creamed onions and mushrooms. I know it's kind of a weird to have emotions for food, but I'm a weird person and putting emotions into food is part of what makes me love food even more. Not only is this dish filled with emotions of love, it's also filled with emotions of happiness and a whole lot of wonderful memories.
Growing up, we always spent Thanksgiving at my Grandparent's house. I don't remember the details, I don't even remember which family members were always there, but I remember my Grandfather's stuffing (a French recipe from his family, made with sausage and chicken liver...it was the one time I would make an exception for eating liver because this stuff was to-die for!), and these creamed onions and mushrooms that my Grandmother would make. They were, hands down, my two favorite items at the Thanksgiving table. Every year, when the holidays roll around, I can't help but crave them. In my world, no Thanksgiving table is complete without either.
Last year was the first time I had been to Thanksgiving at my Grandmother's in a while. So many things have changed (my Grandfather's stuffing recipe is, sadly, long gone), but her creamed onions had not. Despite being 95 years-old (yes, she still cooks for herself every day!) they were just as good as the ones I remember from childhood.
Mine, on the other hand, don't taste nearly as delicious, but if I'm alive and cooking as long as she is, I still have a lot of Thanksgivings left to practice.....
CREAMED ONIONS+ MUSHROOMS
serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh (or 16 ounce frozen bag) pearl onions (see notes)
1 1/2 cups (about 5 ounces) of sliced mushrooms (sometimes I also do a mix of mini mushrooms and sliced mushrooms)
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup of water
1/2 cup milk (2% recommended; see notes)
1/2 cup half & half (see notes)
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1/8 teaspoon of grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon of thyme, tarragon, or Herbs de Provence
2 tablespoons of dry sherry
INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium-large saucepan, set over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter, then sauté the sliced mushrooms until they are golden brown, about 5-7 minutes (if the mushrooms start to stick at any point just add a little more butter). Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside in a dish.
To the same saucepan, add the pearl onions and water and let simmer over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes. Remove water and onions and set each aside in two different dishes. (This step can also be completed in a separate saucepan while the mushrooms are cooking.)
Back in the same pan, melt the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Then, turn the heat to low and whisk in the flour. Next, slowly whisk in the reserved onion water as well as the milk and half & half, stirring briskly to ensure that no lumps form. Lastly, mix in the salt, pepper, nutmeg and herb of choice. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens (feel free to add cornstarch or more flour if it's not thickening....I would recommend adding the flour about 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring and waiting a few minutes to see if it thickens more before adding additional flour).
Once the mixture has thickened, add the cooked pearl onions and the sautéed mushrooms back into the pan, along with the sherry, slowly stirring everything together so that the onions and mushrooms get coated in the gravy mixture.
Let simmer, over low heat, for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, if you made this in oven-safe pan, you can place the dish in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm.
NOTES
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
This dish can be made in advance, which makes it great for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other holiday dinners. You can either prepare the entire dish a day in advance, then store it in the fridge, in the pan with the lid on and then just reheat it for about 15 minutes prior to serving, or you can make this the morning of your big meal, then do the final step (simmer on the stove) right before the meal, or keep warm in a crockpot set to low heat.
For the onions, I use a bag found in the frozen section of Trader Joe's or my local grocery store. You can also find them in the produce section and peel them yourself (something I do not recommend as it’s a painfully time consuming process), or you can find them in jars. If you use jarred onions, skip the boiling step and for the reserved water, simply use the liquid they come in.
For the milk and half & half, you can use all milk (2% is best, as you want a creamy texture), all half & half, or you can use a mixture of 50% heavy cream, 50% water, or a combination of any of the three. For me, I typically base this on what I have in the fridge at the time, which usually tends to be milk and heavy cream.
You can substitute port for the sherry.
originally published 11/21/14; last updated on 11/25/20
