Chris's Favorite Creamed Onions

20 oz red pearl onions

10 oz white pearl onions

2 strips thick cut bacon diced (1/2 C)

2 Tbsp butter

2 shallots, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1-1/2 pints heavy cream

1/2 C fresh bread crumbs

2 tsp chopped parsley

 

Blanch onions in a large pot of boiling water until skins loosen (about 5 minutes.) If white onions are considerably larger, add them first. This is most of the cooking time for the onions.  Drain, peel and set aside.  (Onions can be placed in a 2-quart zip-lock bag and refrigerated until ready to use.)

 

Sauté bacon in Dutch oven until crisp.  Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside.  Pour off bacon fat.  Melt butter in Dutch oven over low heat until foaming, add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent (not browned, about 3 minutes.)  Add heavy cream and simmer until cream is thick and golden and volume has reduced by half (10 to 15 minutes.)  Stir onions into cream and heat through. 

 

Heat broiler.  Turn onions and cream into a shallow 1-1/2 qt casserole dish.  Top with bacon, bread crumbs and parsley.  Place under broiler and cook until crumbs are browned and dish is bubbling (about 10 minutes.)