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Half of an onion with a bay leaf attached to it with whole cloves.
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How to Make an Onion Pique

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.
Course Pantry, Soup
Cuisine French
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 1
Calories 25kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Trim off the root end of half a peeled onion.
  • 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

  1. How to say it: Onion pee-KAY
  2. 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!).
  3. 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.
  4. Onion clouté: Leave out the bay leaf and just spike your onion with cloves.

Nutrition

Calories: 25kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 13mg