• 10 ounces sorrel, stems pulled off backwards, washed in several waters, drained
• Salt
• ¼ cup butter
• 10 ounces sweet onions, halved, finely sliced
• 1½ cups heavy cream
• 3 eggs
• Pepper
• 1 half-baked 9-inch pastry shell

Plunge the sorrel into salted boiling water and drain the moment the water returns to a boil and all the leaves have turned grayish. Put to stew gently in half the butter, stirring occasionally, until excess liquid has evaporated and the leaves have fallen into a complete purée—about 20 minutes.

Stew the onions, salted, in the remaining butter for at least ½ hour, covered, stirring or tossing regularly. The saucepan should be heavy and not so large as to impose a depth of less than 1 to 1½ inches on the layer of onions—they should sweat as much in their own humidity as in the butter, and, finally, should be translucid, uncolored, and melting on the verge of purée.

Mix together the sorrel and the onions in a bowl and, when no more than tepid, whisk or beat the cream, eggs, and seasonings apart; then pour the mixture slowly into the onions and sorrel, stirring all the while. Pour into the pastry shell and bake in a 375° oven for about 40 minutes or until swelled, firm in the center, and lightly colored. Serve warm 20 minutes to ½ hour after removing from the oven. A well-chilled, young, light, dry white wine with a suspicion of sparkle or a light-bodied Champagne are perfect companions.