Soubise (Braised Rice and Onions)

From Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". This is a savory mixture of sliced onions, rice and butter cooked slowly together until they melt into a puree. The natural moisture of the onions is sufficient to cook the rice; no other liquid is needed. Soubise is particularly good with veal or chicken. It may be turned into a sauce soubise by pureeing it with a sauce bechamel or veloute and enriching it with cream.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup rice
• 4  quarts  rapidly boiling water
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons salt
• 4  tablespoons butter
• 2  lbs  thinly sliced yellow onions (6-7 cups)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
•  salt and pepper, to taste
• 1⁄4 cup  whipping cream
• 1⁄4 cup  grated swiss cheese
• 2  tablespoons  softened butter
• 1  tablespoon  minced parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Drop the rice into 4 quarts of boiling salted water and boil for 5 minutes exactly. Drain immediately.
3. Add the 4 Tbsp of butter to a 3-quart, fireproof casserole and place in the oven.
4. When the butter is foaming in the casserole, stir in the onions. As soon as they are well coated with butter, stir in the rice and seasonings.
5. Cover and cook very slowly in the 300°F oven for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The rice and onions should become very tender and will usually turn a light golden yellow.
6. Correct seasoning.
7. Just before serving, stir in the cream and cheese, and then the butter. Taste again for seasoning. Turn into a hot vegetable dish and sprinkle with parsley.