Preheat oven to 325F. Melt butter over medium heat and saute onion until it just starts to take on some colour. Add garlic, cloves and bay leaf. Cook an additional minute, stirring occasionally. Add flour and use a wooden spoon to mix everything thoroughly. (Your mixture might appear crumbly, but that's fine.) Remove from heat and very gradually add milk, stirring the whole time. Return to heat and allow mixture to simmer and thicken to its full potential. Remove the bay leaf, and alternately layer the beets and sauce in a deep 9" x 13" casserole dish, finishing with sauce. Cover with foil and bake until beets are tender, approximately 1 hour.
Yield: 6-8 servings