Braised Rice and Onions

I have "OMG!" written on this recipe print out - and it is an accurate description of what you'll say when you put the first bite of this luscious dish in your mouth.  This is not low cal...so if you are on the perpetual New Year's Diet...you can move on now.  My niece sent me this recipe in 1999 after she brought it to an Easter luncheon at her Mom's house.  I remember I had two Russian foreign exchange students with us that Easter (that's a huge holiday in Russia - bigger than Christmas is in the U.S. - really, really big <said in my Ed Sullivan voice>) and the boys liked this dish...and one of them didn't like many of the dishes I fixed so I was happy to grab a recipe I loved AND they seemed to like!!!

So, thank you Holly Diane, for sharing this deliciously wonderful dish!

BRAISED RICE AND ONIONS
Serves 4
Preparation 10 minutes
Baking Time 1 hour

2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup uncooked rice
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups thinly sliced onions (about 2 large) - note:  it was easiest to slice thinly and quickly with a mandoline, or using a sharp knife, by cutting the bulb in half, laying the flat side down for a steady base - made the work go a lot faster.
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper (she notes she used ground black pepper and it was fine)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese
Chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil.  Stir in rice, cover and simmer EXACTLY 5 minutes.   Drain immediately.

Melt butter in a 2 1/2 to 3 quart deep casserole dish.  Add onions and coat well with the butter.  Stir in rice, 1/2 tsp salt and the pepper.  Cover and bake 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

Up to this point, the dish may be made ahead of time.  When ready to serve, reheat and stir in cream and cheese...and a touch more butter, if no one is looking ;-p  Check seasoning, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Holly reports this recipe is from Mrs. Chard's Almanac Cookbook Hollyhocks & Radishes by Bonnie Stewart Mickelson.

I've tried adjusting this recipe by making it with whole wheat orzo pasta and leeks instead of rice and onions. I've also used brown rice (need to cook a little longer for brown rice).  I liked the altered recipes a lot, but I didn't love it like the original.  This recipe, I've found, is almost identical (a few differences in ingredient quantities) to Julia Child's recipe for Soubise.  This recipe has less onion and more cheese than Julia's.  Whichever one you try, the basics of rice, onion, butter, cream, and cheese...really, just can't be beat! This is a classic side dish you will enjoy adding to your repertoire of recipes.

It is delicious and fairly easy (especially if you have a mandoline for quickly slicing the onions).  Yum, yum for your tum tum...it is a keeper recipe...easy to double for a large group too! 

Bon Appetit Y'all!!!