SOUBISE
[Braised Rice and Onions]

This is a savory mixture of sliced onions, rice, and butter cooked slowly together until they melt into a purée. 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, or boiled leg of lamb à l'anglaise. It may be turned into a sauce soubise by puréeing it with a sauce béchamel or velouté and enriching it with cream.
For 6 people

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

1/2 cup rice
4 quarts rapidly boiling water
1 1/2 Tb salt
Drop the rice into the boiling salted water and boil for 5 minutes exactly. Drain immediately.

4 Tb butter
A 3‑quart, fireproof casserole
2 lbs. (6 to 7 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Salt and pepper
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. Cover and cook very slowly in the 300‑degree oven for about z hour, stirring occasionally. The rice and onions should become very tender and will usually turn a light golden yellow. Correct seasoning.
(*) May be cooked several hours in advance and reheated later.

1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 Tb softened butter
A hot vegetable dish
1 Tb minced parsley
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.