SOUBISE (Onions)

Soubise

                                                (adapted from Richard Olney recipe, TIME LIFE, Lamb)

Prep Time: Allow ½ hour for prep of onions, rice and butter

Cooking time: 3 hours for cooking 

Quantity: about 3 cups

Serves 4-6

Easy and delicious, can be served with any roast, fish or veg dinner

Ingredients

            6 very large yellow onions

            ¼ raw long-grain white rice, boiled until tender, drained

            3 TBSP butter, diced

            Salt, pepper, ground nutmeg , to taste

Procedure

  Heat oven to 350 degrees

  Remove tough outer skin of onion and wrap onions individually in foil, closing top.  Place on a baking sheet also covered in foil.   Roast for 1 ½ - 2 hours or until wrapped onions feel very soft when squeezed gently.   Unwrap onions, drain liquid (if any) into cooking pan and squeeze onions holding onion tops.  Cut out root bottom and discard tough outer leaves and roots.   

  Coarsely chop onions and combine with cooked rice in deep saucepan. Mixture will be watery.  Bring pot to simmer and stir.  Reduce onion mixture using medium to low heat onion, (mixture should bubble, but not boil).

   

   *Stir every few seconds, until consistency of stiff applesauce, and slightly caramel colored. Cook until ALL of the liquid is absorbed.  Onions may reduce by 1/2 - 2/3rds during this process This may take 1 ½ -2 hours as onions will scorch if temperature is too high or stirring is not sufficient.  However, this is the most important step in the cooking so be watchful! 

  Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg during cooking process and sweetness of onions begins to become evident.

 In small batches, puree the mixture in a food processor, reheat, and fold butter in to mixture.  Blend until all butter is absorbed.

* If you want a ‘soupier’ soubise perhaps to use as a sauce instead of a side dish, stop the cooking process earlier

** this dish can be made in whole or part several days ahead of serving and can be served at any temperature.