Learn how to make an Onion Piqué, a French flavor booster used by chefs in sauces, soups, and stews. Fortunately, it sounds fancier than it actually is, and only takes a second to make.
Attach a bay leaf to the cut-side of the onion using 2 or 3 whole dried cloves as pins.
Add to a pot of stock or milk to cook. Remove and discard when the stock is finished.
Notes
How to say it: Onion pee-KAY
Why bother: It adds a lot of flavor and you can remove it easily. No more fishing around for lost bay leaves (and you'd NEVER find those cloves!).
Cloves: Use 2 to 3 cloves for a half onion, or up to 6 for a whole onion, unless the recipe calls for a specific amount. They have a strong flavor, so use them judiciously.
Onion clouté: Leave out the bay leaf and just spike your onion with cloves.