16 small or 4 large onions
chicken or vegetable stock
fresh thyme sprigs or pinch of dried thyme
1 dried bay leaf or 2 fresh ones
butter
honey
about 50 ml cream
135 g blue cheese

Peel the onions. In a large saucepan, bring the stock to the boil. Add thyme and bay leaf. Add the whole onions, lower the heat and cook, covered, for 10 - 15 minutes. Strain the onions and reserve the stock.

If the onions are large, cut them in three or four parts lengthwise. Leave small onions whole. Melt some butter and honey in a skillet and add the drained onions. Stir and fry the onions until they are slightly browned. Place the onions in an oven pan and drizzle the honey-butter mixture on top.

Bring 150 - 200 ml of the reserved stock to the boil. Add the crumbled cheese and let it melt. Add the cream, bring the sauce to the boil and pour over the onions.

Bake the onions first at 200 °C for 15 - 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 175 °C and bake for another 40 - 60 minutes, or until the onions are thoroughly tender. Baste the onions every now and then with the sauce during baking.

Serve the onions to accompany various meat dishes or as an evening snack with fresh rye bread  —  eg Finnish island-baked bread  —  and cold beer.

Recipe source: adapted from "Sipulipaistos" by Mysi Lahtinen, Helsingin Sanomat/Kuukausiliite, 1994(?).