This sauce may be prepared by either of the following recipes:

• Slice 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) onions and blanch them well; drain thoroughly and stew in 50 g (2 oz) butter without colouring. Add 5 dl (18 fl oz or 2¼ U.S. cups) thick Sauce Béchamel, a pinch of salt, a little white pepper and a good pinch of caster sugar; cover, place in the oven and allow to cook gently.

  Pass through a fine sieve, reheat and finish the sauce with 80 g (3 oz) butter and 1 dl (3½ oz or ½ U.S. cup) cream.

• Slice 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) onions and blanch them well; drain thoroughly and place them immediately in a suitably-sized pan previously lined completely with thin slices of salt pork fat; add 120 g (4 oz) carolina rice, 7 dl (1¼ pt or 3 U.S. cups) white Bouillon, a pinch of salt, a little white pepper, a good pinch of caster sugar and 25 g (1 oz) butter. Cover with a lid, bring to the boil and allow to cook gently in the oven. When cooked, pound the rice and onions in the mortar then pass through a sieve; reheat and finish with 80 g (3 oz) butter and 1 dl (3½ fl oz or ½ U.S. cup) cream.