Cloves aren’t a common ingredient in our everyday cooking, but once you learn how to use them, their unique properties can truly transform your culinary creations. Typically, cloves are known as a staple in marinades or a fragrant addition to mulled wine. However, if you take inspiration from the French, you’ll discover that this spice can be used in a much broader range of dishes.

The French are true masters of crafting extraordinary meals that stand out with vibrant, unforgettable flavors and aromas. For them, every dish is a masterpiece, where each ingredient plays a critical role in creating specific notes and nuances.

The French are also big fans of fresh herbs and greens. But since these are scarce in winter, they came up with an ingenious alternative—a concept they call oignon piqué, which translates literally to “onion studded with nails.” At first, it might sound perplexing, but the method is quite simple.

Here, the “nails” are actually cloves. They’re carefully inserted into a peeled onion, usually about 5–6 buds, creating a fusion of flavor and aroma that’s both distinctive and delightful. This unconventional onion finds its way into all kinds of dishes—broths, roasts, stews, and baked goods. You can place it in a pan alongside meat or vegetables, or on a baking sheet next to a meat roll. As the dish cooks, the cloves intensify the flavors, adding subtle yet intriguing new dimensions to the taste. And the best part? The onion holds the cloves in place, so there’s no need to fish out stray buds from the finished dish.