Soubise Braised Rice And Onions Food

SOUBISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat and, when it foams, add the onions, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook slowly for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often and turning the heat down if it threatens to scorch the butter, until the onions are soft and translucent.
• As the onions cook, bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the rice to the pot. Cook the rice for 5 or 6 minutes, then drain it. Add the rice to the onions and stir to combine.
• Cover the Dutch oven tightly and place it in the oven. Allow to cook, undisturbed, for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 30 more.
• Before serving, remove the top of the Dutch oven, stir the rice, and place over a medium-low flame to reheat. Stir in the cheese and the cream and cook, stirring occasionally, until the dish is hot. Add the parsley to serve.

BRAISED RICE WITH CHICKEN STOCK (JULIA CHILD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Cook the onions and butter slowly in a flameproof casserole over medium heat until soft but not browned. Blend the rice into the butter and onions and stir over moderate heat for several minutes, not letting the rice brown. The grains will get translucent first, then turn a milky white color.
• As soon as the rice looks milky, add the boiling stock. Add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then cover and place in the oven.
• As soon as the liquid maintains itself at a slow boil (4-5 minutes), reduce the heat to 350 and continue to bake until the liquid has been absorbed (about 15 minutes).
• Remove from oven, uncover and fluff with a fork before serving (for al dente rice. FOr more tender rice, let stand, covered, for 10 minutes).

RUTABAGA SOUP SOUBISE-WITH RICE AND ONION PURéE

Steps:

• The Rice and Onion Soup Base. Simmer the celery and onions in the 2 cups of chicken stock until very tender and translucent-15 minutes or more. Stir in the rice, and the rest of the liquid.
• The Rutabaga, and Finishing the Soup. Stir in the rutabaga, bring to the simmer, season lightly, and simmer loosely covered for about 30 minutes, or until both rutabaga and rice are very tender. Purée in batches in the electric blender. Reheat, correct seasoning, and top each serving, if you wish, with a spoonful of sour cream or crème fraîche, and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
• Variations
• CREAM OF CUCUMBER SOUP. For about 2 1/4 quarts, serving 6 to 8. Peel 4 large cucumbers, save half of one for garnish, halve the rest lengthwise, and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Chop the halves roughly and toss with 2 teaspoons each of wine vinegar and salt; let stand while the celery and onions have their preliminary simmer. Then turn the chopped cucumbers and their liquid into the soup base with the rice, and finish the soup as described in the preceding recipe. To serve, garnish with a dollop of cream, cucumber slices, and a sprinkling of fresh dill weed.
• CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP WITH VEGETABLES. Combine the rice-and-onion soup base with the chicken-and-vegetable soup on page 6, using only 4 cups of the liquid called for in the chicken recipe.

GRILLED PORK CONFIT WITH BRAISED RICE SOUBISE AND ROASTED FIGS

Steps:

• Three days before serving, trim the pork of excess fat and sinew, and place it in the brine. It should be completely submerged. Refrigerate the pork in the brine for 48 hours.
• After 48 hours, remove the pork from the brine. Pat it dry with paper towels, and let it sit out 1 hour to come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Heat the duck fat in a large Dutch oven over low heat until just warm and melted.
• Carefully lower the pork into the fat. It should be completely submerged. Cook 5 to 6 hours, until the meat yields easily to a paring knife when pierced. If at any time the fat starts to boil, turn the oven down to 250°F.
• When the pork is done, remove it from the oven and let cool in the fat about 1 hour. Carefully take the pork out of the fat, and refrigerate it overnight. Strain the fat, reserve 4 tablespoons, and store the rest in the freezer.
• Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before you're ready to cook.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Slice the figs in half lengthwise. Place the halves in a roasting pan, and drizzle them with the olive oil. Season with the thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Roast in the oven 10 to 12 minutes, until the figs are slightly caramelized and sizzling.
• Place the chilled pork confit on a cutting board, and slice it against the grain into 1/2-to-3/4-inch-thick slabs (about 5 to 6 ounces each). Brush the slabs with a little pork fat. Taste a little piece of the pork to make sure it's seasoned correctly. If not, season with salt and pepper.
• When the coals are broken down, red, and glowing, place the pork on the grill and let it sear a few minutes without moving it. Cook a few more minutes, rotating the meat, to crisp and caramelize it. Turn the pork over and finish cooking, another 4 to 5 minutes, on the second side. The meat should be very crisp with a deep golden crust.
• Spoon the soubise onto a large warm platter, and scatter the dandelion greens over it. Arrange the pork confit and figs (with their juices) over the soubise and greens.
• Crush the juniper berries coarsely in a mortar. Repeat with the allspice and then the fennel seeds.
• Dissolve the sugar and salt in 2 cups hot water (just hot enough to dissolve the sugar) in a large, very clean container. Add the juniper berries, allspice berries, fennel seeds, cloves, bay leaves, chiles, onion, fennel, carrot, thyme, and parsley. Add 3 quarts very cold water, and stir to combine all the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the butter, and when it foams, add the diced and sliced onions, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and the white pepper. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and cook the onions gently, for about 10 minutes, stirring often. They should soften and wilt but not be allowed to color at all.
• While the onions are cooking, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Cook the rice 5 minutes in the boiling water and drain well. Stir the rice into the onions.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Cover it with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one. Cook in the oven 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the soubise "rest," covered, about 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, uncover the soubise (it will emit lots of steam, so be careful). Heat it over medium heat, stirring once or twice. When the soubise is hot, stir in the cheese and cream. Taste for seasoning, and stir in the parsley.
• Brine the pork 3 days before serving. After 2 days, when the pork comes out of the brine (the day before serving), confit it, and chill overnight. The meat should be very cold, or it will be hard to slice. Start the braised rice soubise 1 hour and 15 minutes or so before serving. It can sit covered and then be rewarmed and finished with the cheese and cream right before serving. Roast the figs while you grill the confit. You could crisp the pork in cast-iron pans rather than grilling it, if you prefer. Heat two large cast-iron pans over high heat 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons fat to each pan, and heat another minute. Carefully place the meat in the pan, and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. You can store the leftover fat in the freezer.

SOUBISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300.
• In med pan bring water to a boil.
• Add rice and 1/2 tsp salt.
• Cook uncovered 5 minutes.
• Drain.
• In 3 qt round casserole stir onions and melted butter until coated.
• Bake covered at 300 for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven.
• Add the ricee 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.
• Bake at 300 for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven.
• Stir the whipping cream and 2 TBS butter into the rice mixture.
• Sprinkle with cheese (s) and parsley.
• Serve immediately.