Creamed Red And White Pearl Onions With Bacon Recipe (2024)

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Perignon

A simple trick: Slice the bacon lengthwise before you dice it, (mostly) separating the fat from the meat. Now dice it in two separate piles, the mostly fat and the mostly meat. Follow the recipe directions above, but put the fatty pieces in first & cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, then add the meaty pieces and stir until all is crisp.

I use this all the time, including when making clam chowder. You end up with less fat, all the flavor, and reduce the odds of overcooking the meat.

Lisa

Lyn - is this the recipe? It is from the LA times circa 1997.
Compote of Pearl Onions with Smoked Bacon, Brandy, Cream and Chives
from Carrie Nahabedian of the Gardens Restaurant at the Four Seasons
2 pounds white pearl onions, peeled
6 slices smoked bacon, preferably applewood-smoked
2 ounces brandy
1 pint heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
fresh chives, chopped for garnish

Lisa

Here is the link for all of the instructions to make it:
http://articles.latimes.com/1997/nov/23/magazine/tm-56687/3

Anne

OK Folks, here is the challenge: I have watched videos, read directions, looked at websites AND. almost 3 POUNDS of pearl onions turned into less than 1 pound after the trimming and blanching and squeezing. SO - to the store - frozen white pearl onions! (they don't sell frozen red ones)What I am I doing wrong before I toss this recipe (which is incredibly good) and another one from an old Gourmet magazine? Recipes say that frozen ones do not taste as good...mushy, etc.

Socorro

The pearl onions looked beautiful without the cream sauce. Tasted great with the sauce but: "Stir onions into cream to heat through". Unfortunately, this covered all the beautiful onions...big mistake. The directions should state to 'PLACE' the onions in the sauce. followed by bacon, etc. Then proceed to broiler.

John

The recipe calls for heating the onions through in the cream - on the stovetop - before broiling them. Broiling is just to brown crumbs, not to cook the onions, and whenever broiling, you should keep a close eye on things because the difference between nicely browned and burned to a crisp is sometimes a very short time.

Rachael Heath

This is a great recipe. I wasnt thrilled to be tasked with a pearled onion side dish a couple Christmas’s ago, but after making this that one time I have happily made it the next three years as requested. It’s perfect as is, but I do like to add mushrooms or greens for a little more substance to it. It turns it from a condiment into slightly more of a side.

betsy bobo

Did the five minutes in boiling water actually cooke the onions enough to be tender?

byrne Sleeper

Can this be made ahead? Would I reheat slowly and then add bread crumbs and cheese and bacon at the end before serving?

Heidi

Swapping the bacon for wild mushrooms will not steer your wrong.

Tommyt

Peeling the onions was a task, glad I did this days before thanksgiving. We don't do swine so I topped it with a deep fried shallot/sage/breadcrumb thing that Samin Noserat made in a video. That was time consuming as well but everybody agreed it was a great addition to our feast.

Rachael Heath

This was the PERFECT addition to prime rib Christmas morning. At first I thought it was a boring ask when my in laws wanted us to bring pearled onions, but it was honestly one of the best things at the table. Can’t go wrong with bacon cream and onion! My recommendation is to buy quite a few extra onions. They get smaller when you peel them and I definitely could have used another handful. Also don’t be shy with kosher salt and pepper at the end for a final seasoning! 6 adults polished this off.

Bacon!

I halved the recipe for everything except the bacon and it was perfect. Also skipped the butter and just cooked shallots and garlic in the bacon fat instead of pouring it off. In other words, if following the recipe, double the bacon!

Joanna

Has anyone tried a veg version of this and if so what did you successfully use? Would shiitake work?

Lauren

Can this be made ahead of time?

Cindy S

Don't broil for 10 minutes unattended! It burns quick!!

Anne

OK Folks, here is the challenge: I have watched videos, read directions, looked at websites AND. almost 3 POUNDS of pearl onions turned into less than 1 pound after the trimming and blanching and squeezing. SO - to the store - frozen white pearl onions! (they don't sell frozen red ones)What I am I doing wrong before I toss this recipe (which is incredibly good) and another one from an old Gourmet magazine? Recipes say that frozen ones do not taste as good...mushy, etc.

kathycookstoo

Been there. And,I haven't found any frozen pearl onions in my area.

Rick Wagner

From a novice cook:Wonderful dish. Cooked and peeled onions the day before, so they were cold when mixed with sauce. Followed directions and broiled which, in 5 minutes, left onions cold but bread crumbs burned. Maybe with more experience I could have foreseen this. Was fine with dead crumbs removed and rest baked.

John

The recipe calls for heating the onions through in the cream - on the stovetop - before broiling them. Broiling is just to brown crumbs, not to cook the onions, and whenever broiling, you should keep a close eye on things because the difference between nicely browned and burned to a crisp is sometimes a very short time.

Javajo

Perhaps my onions were bigger than most (although they were labeled "pearl"), but blanching and 10 minutes under the broiler wasn't enough cooking time. If I make this again, I will boil the onions until just about done.

Socorro

The pearl onions looked beautiful without the cream sauce. Tasted great with the sauce but: "Stir onions into cream to heat through". Unfortunately, this covered all the beautiful onions...big mistake. The directions should state to 'PLACE' the onions in the sauce. followed by bacon, etc. Then proceed to broiler.

Julie

Delicious, but I found my sauce didn't thicken and reduce as much as I would have liked, even though I had it reducing for quite a while but once I added breadcrumbs it was fine. Didn't find the red onion, so just used white, but want to try it again with the red. I also added a drop of sherry.

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Creamed Red And White Pearl Onions With Bacon Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Who makes pearl onions in a cream sauce? ›

Birds Eye Pearl Onions with a Cream Sauce (9 oz) Delivery or Pickup Near Me - Instacart.

Do you peel white pearl onions before cooking? ›

Like other onions, pearl onions need to be peeled before use. Unlike their larger onion counterparts, pearl onions are trickier to peel thanks to their tiny size. The fastest way to peel pearl onions is to use a blanching method.

What is the difference between red and white pearl onions? ›

Red pearl onions have reddish-purple skin that's similar in color to large red onions. Usually they're milder in flavor than white pearl onions. Pearl onions always have to be peeled before use, which can be tricky.

Why do you soak red onions in water? ›

Soak them for at least 15 minutes (longer is even more beneficial), properly drain, and eat away! Submerging them in cold water takes away that intense, sharp bite from the raw onion. The cold water helps the enzyme that causes onions to have their pungent flavor to leach out.

What are red pearl onions good for? ›

Pearl onions contain chemical compounds that have health benefits including helping cardiovascular health and stabilize blood sugar levels, and acting as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Are pearl onions just baby onions? ›

Marble-sized pearl or baby onions are miniature varieties that add flavor and texture to pickles, kabobs, stews, and roasted or simmered veggie medleys. Cipollini onions are a slightly larger Italian variety with flat stem and root ends.

What makes pearl onions different? ›

characteristics. Pearl onions are not a specific variety but are small round onions harvested when 25 mm (1 inch) or less in diameter. They are usually white and pickled and used as a garnish and in co*cktails.

What flavor are white pearl onions? ›

White pearl onions are the most popular variety, but they also come in red and yellow. Flavorwise, pearl onions are sweeter and milder than regular onions or even shallots, though they're not as sweet as cipollini onions, another variety of small onion that is flatter in shape.

Why do you soak white onions in water? ›

When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor. However since soaking too long will dilute the flavor, soaking in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended. Squeeze out excess water before using.

What are white pearl onions good for? ›

White Pearl onions can be incorporated into stews, gratins, casseroles, and braises, used to flavor soups and stocks, glazed and served alone, or added to roasted meats and vegetables as a hearty side dish. When pickled, White Pearl onions can be added to salads, garnished on co*cktails, or served on appetizer plates.

Which onion is healthiest red or white? ›

White and yellow onions are practically identical in terms of nutrition, but red onions contain anthocyanin that give them their rich color. Anthocyanins are a type of antioxidant that have been linked to reducing the risk of chronic diseases, like heart disease and cancer.

What is the healthiest onion? ›

Red onions

All types of onions are good for you, but this dark reddish-purple variety, sometimes called purple onion, has especially high levels of quercetin and other helpful plant compounds known as flavonoids. Flavonoids give many fruits, vegetables, and flowers their colors.

What is the best tasting onion? ›

Vidalia, Walla Walla, Cipollini varieties are inherently sweet onions. These varieties have become extremely popular and for good reason. They are good cooked but they are very mild and are excellent eaten raw.

What are red pearl onions? ›

Also known as co*cktail onions, Picklers, Baby onions, and Button onions, Red Pearl onions are a long-day storage variety that gets their size by being planted in dense clusters to inhibit growth, are harvested early, approximately ninety days after planting, or are planted in environments that may stunt growth due to ...

Are boiling onions and pearl onions the same? ›

In the United States, Boiling onions are often used and sold interchangeably with the smaller pearl onion.

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