Creamed Onion Casserole

Thanksgiving dinner is not known for being a balanced meal, at least not from a nutritional point of view. Bright, crisp-cooked vegetables, for instance, are usually noticeable only by their absence. Salad greens, so highly regarded at other meals, are more often than not relegated to the gelatin-mold platter. Fresh vegetables and greens, at least in the less temperate parts of America, are virtual infants on the Thanksgiving scene.

Cooking little onions from scratch is a laborious task because peeling and blanching takes a lot of time. If you like, you can also substitute frozen onions or frozen creamed onions to make it simpler. Also to save time for Thanksgiving Day, this casserole can be made in a day in advance and refrigerated. In that case, you need to increase the baking time by 10 minutes.

This method for creaming onions can be used with other vegetables as well. Cauliflower flowerets, celery and carrot slice, for instance, cream well too.

3 pounds small white onions, also called pearl onions

One-fourth pound butter

One-third cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

One -fourth tsp ground white or freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of nutmeg (ground)

3 cups milk

4 slices white or brown bread, crusts removed and cut into ½ inch cubes

Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

To loosen their skins, place onions into a large saucepan and cover with boiling water for a minute. Drain and cover with cold water. Slip off the onion skins and cut an 'x' in the root ends. Place the onions in lightly salted boiling water in a large saucepan and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat, or until barely tender.

Drain well and turn into a 3 quart casserole that has been lightly buttered or coated with nonstick vegetable spray. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a medium size saucepan over medium heat. When hot, blend in the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly.

Gradually stir in the milk. Continue to cook and stir until the sauce thickens and boils. Pour gently over the onions. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Toss the bread cubes in the melted butter to coat them on all sides, and then scatter them over the onions. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture bubbles and the bread cubes are lightly browned.

To serve, sprinkle with chopped parsley or cilantro. This serves about eight people.

Variation - Sprinkle the casserole with shredded cheese instead of bread cubes.