In my grandmother’s cozy kitchen, filled with the comforting scent of spices and simmering pots, she had a quiet ritual that always caught my attention. Before beginning a meal, she would take a whole onion—unpeeled—and carefully pierce it with several whole cloves.
As a child, I didn’t understand the purpose. But I watched in awe, fascinated by the care she took with such a small step. Years later, now cooking in my own kitchen, I finally understood the wisdom behind it.
This timeless method, known in classical French cooking as oignon piqué, involves pressing whole cloves into an onion—sometimes with a bay leaf added. It’s typically used to flavor soups, stews, sauces, or broths. The result is subtle but profound: the onion contributes a natural sweetness, while the cloves bring a warm, earthy spice that enhances rather than overpowers.
The secret lies in the cloves themselves. These dried flower buds from the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum) are rich in a compound called eugenol, which gives them their signature aroma and depth of flavor. When simmered, they slowly release their essence, blending beautifully with surrounding ingredients to create a layered, comforting taste.
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