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Stick Cloves into onions

12 years ago

Why?

This is an instruction I've come across since my early days of cooking when I learned to cook from Irma Rombauer. Why not have onions and a few cloves in the soup? Why not stick the cloves into something else, such as a celery stick, or a potato, or some other ingredient? And why not just add a dash of ground cloves. I've done this when I was out of whole cloves. Is there a reaction between the cloves and onion that impart a certain flavor to the dish that wouldn't be there if you added the clove flavor another way?

Sally

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Comments (9)

lindac
12 years ago
Because then you can retrieve the onion and the cloves and not risk getting a whole clove in your spoon.
The directions telling you to stick cloves into an onion are always....in my experience...referring to a fairly delicate creamy sauce as a bechamel.
sally2_gw
Original Author
12 years ago
I've mainly seen it in recipes for soups, at least, that's what I remember. It wouldn't surprise me that when I was first starting to cook I'd pass on recipes that used a bechamel sauce due to being intimidated. It wouldn't concern me now, but might have then.

Sally
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caliloo
12 years ago
Soup or Bechamel - I think Lindas theory is correct - it is for ease of removal when serving. No one wants to bite into a whole clove any more than they want to bite into a whole bay leaf.

I've also seen numerous recipes that hae you tie the dried cloves, allspice, etc into a cheesecloth bag to remove them all when the dish is finished.

Alexa
seagrass_gw Cape Cod
12 years ago
I've always stuck one or two cloves into an onion when making chicken stock. I always count how many whole peppercorns I use, too, so I can retrive all of them. I suppose tying them up in some cheesecloth would be a better option LOL,

seagrass
foodonastump
12 years ago
Easy retrieval is what I always figured. As for chicken stock, I run mine through a fine mesh strainer so no need to count or stick anything anywhere!
shambo
12 years ago
I always put whole allspice, peppercorns, bay leaves, and other chunky spices like cloves in a tea ball. Toss it into the soup or stew. When the dish is done, just fish the tea ball out. Really easy and I don't have to tie up any packages of cheesecloth. Plus, the tea ball gets used over & over again.
coconut_nj
12 years ago
Yup, just for easy retrieval. A whole onion is less likely to fall apart than a stalk of celery or a potato. As said, though, a tea ball or cheese cloth or straining works as well.
annie1992
12 years ago
In most instances a cheesecloth bag or tea ball would work just as well, but I have beans soaking for Boston Baked Beans. Sure enough, the recipe calls for studding an onion with cloves. I guess I COULD put in a cheesecloth bag, but I cook beans until they are thick and sticky and so I think the onion is a better option.

I agree, it's for ease in removing the cloves.

Annie
sally2_gw
Original Author
12 years ago
Okie dokie. I've now got a good supply of whole cloves, but I figure if I'm out, and have on had ground cloves, a dash into the dish I'm making would suffice.

Sally

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