Peal and blanch 4 onions, cool in water, drain, put them in a stewpan with enough water or white stock to cover; add some cayenne, bay leaf, a little mace, a small piece of ham or bacon; keep the lid closely shut and simmer gently until tender; take them out, drain them thoroughly, press through a sieve or tammy cloth, add 1/2 pt. of bechamel sauce made thus: Put in a stewpan a little parsley, 1 clove, a small piece of bay leaf, sweet herbs, and 1 pt. of white stock freed from fat; when boiled long enough to extract the flavor of the herbs, etc., strain it, boil up quickly till reduced to half the quantity; mix a tablespoonful of arrowroot with 1/2 pt. of milk or cream, pour on the reduced stock and simmer for 10 minutes.