RICE & VIDALIA ONION CASSEROLE

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

RICE & VIDALIA ONION CASSEROLE
[from SouthernKitchen website]

About the recipe--
Southern Kitchen reader Betty Greene sent us her family’s recipe for a simple onion-studded and paprika-sprinkled rice casserole, which has clearly stood the test of tinkering. With particularly specific ingredient amounts — 3 1/3 cups chopped onions, 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons rice — Greene has fiddled and fussed to make the casserole as perfect as can be.

Besides the attention to detail when it comes to measuring, little else other than time is required for this easy, satisfying side. Onions are cooked down slowly in a heap of butter until they themselves begin to melt and caramelize. A little more than a cup of Swiss cheese is added for a hint of seasoning and just a bit of binding power — this is not a cheesy rice casserole by any means — and a modest cup of cream does the work of softening parboiled white rice. A sprinkling of parsley and paprika are the only other ingredients, and we can imagine the casserole made with just about any herb and spice you’d like. Thyme and smoked paprika would make for a slightly more complex dish, while oregano, cilantro and cumin would take the dish in a Mexican-inspired direction.

RICE AND VIDALIA ONION CASSEROLE

For 8-10 servings:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
3 1/3 cups coarsely chopped Vidalia onions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons long-grain white rice
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Sweet paprika

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Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, add the onions and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, deeply golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the rice and boil for 5 minutes. Drain well.

When the onions are caramelized, remove from the heat and stir in the cream and cheese until the cheese is melted. Stir in the rice and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake until the casserole is browned and the top is crisp, about 1 hour. Serve hot.

philogirl · ‎06-09-2010

This sounds delicious. Thank you for posting.

eddyandme · ‎09-24-2011

@novamc1, could I just add '5min-rice' and a cup of broth/water to recipe instead of boiling the regular rice?

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

@eddyandme

You could always try a different type of rice, and adapt your own version of the dish using other ingredients.

But note that this recipe calls for only partially cooking the rice for 5 minutes instead of the normal 20 minutes or so for long-grain rice, because other liquid will soften and finish cooking it during the final oven-baking phase.

I've never used Minute Rice and have always stuck to raw long-grain or other raw rices, so I'm not a good one to ask.