Baked Onions, Porcini, and Cream

Put the porcini in a small bowl and cover with warm water.

Peel the onions, then boil them in deep, salted water for about thirty minutes, until they are tender and the layers will come apart when pulled.

They mustnt be hard in the middle.

Drain them, slice the top off each one to give a flat edge, then put them in a small ovenproof baking dish, one in which they will fit snugly.

Using a teaspoon, scoop out most of the inside of each onion without splitting the sides and base.

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).

Chop half of the scooped-out insides (you can discard the other half, you wont need it) and warm it with the butter and crushed garlic in a small, shallow pan.

Drain and chop the porcini, pull the thyme leaves off their twigs, and chop them finely, then add both porcini and leaves to the onions and continue cooking, stirring from time to time.

As the onions continue to soften and color and the mixture starts to smell interesting, pour in the cream, season with salt and black pepper, and remove from the heat.

Stir in most of the grated cheese, then spoon the stuffing into the hollows of the onions.

Add the remaining cheese on top and bake for twenty minutes, until bubbling.