SOUBISE -- adapted from the Julia Child classic -- useful alone as a vegetable or layered in a casserole with ham or chicken and Mornay sauce.

½ cup rice
2 pounds sweet Spanish onions
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
Salt
3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)
½ cup grated cheese (optional)
Freshly grated pepper
Lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325° F.
Drop rice into boiling salted water, boil for 5 minutes and drain.
Peel and chop the onions.
Heat the butter and oil in a baking dish; stir in the onions, then the rice and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix to coat well with butter and oil.
Cover the pan and place in a preheated 325° F. oven.
Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the rice is completely tender and the onions are soft and golden. Stir occasionally.
Mix in the cream and cheese if you wish, adding salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

Yield: 4 cups.

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To use Soubise as a layer in a casserole, after the onions and rice are cooked, beat in 2 egg yolks. Omit the cream and the cheese and season as above. Then layer in whatever casserole you choose to include it in and bake according to directions.

Example: Make a layered chicken or ham ( whatever you fancy in the meat department), spinach, and Soubise casserole in a Mornay Sauce.

1. Make a bed of cooked chopped spinach.

2. Sprinkle with Swiss and Cheddar cheeses.

3. Fill ham slices with soubise and fold each over like an envelope; set on the spinach, seam sides down. Spoon any remaining soubise around the ham and top with Mornay Sauce (see below) and some grated cheese.

4. Bake in a preheated 375° F. oven until bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes.

MORNAY SAUCE

2 ½ tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
½ cup combined grated Swiss and Parmesan cheeses

Melt butter, add flour and, whisking, cook slowly for 2 to 3 minutes, without browning. Off heat, add milk and stir well to remove lumps. Bring sauce to boil, reduce heat, and let simmer slowly at least 5 minutes. Stir in cheese; cook until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

(Makes 2 cups)

(adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook)

Like soubise -- want to try another version, double click here on Basmati Soubise with Saffron.

You can find the above recipes by tapping here on the Home Cookin' index.

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