Email to Cat      

Spicy White Onion Gratin

Source of Recipe

From "The Home Cook" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"This is a bubbly, hearty gratin composed of wonderfully light onions. I like to use large and small onions in this dish so that while one bite may have a whole small onion, the next might be slivers of a larger one. It's texturally exciting. I cook them separately and then combine them with the cheese and cream to bake for a few minutes before serving. I like a little heat against the sweetness of the onions, but if you are more of a purist, simply omit the red pepper flakes."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 tablespoons canola oil
â—¦ 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ 3 ½ pounds cippolini onions, peeled
â—¦ 6 large white onions, halved and thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 cup whole milk
â—¦ 2 cups heavy cream
â—¦ 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
â—¦ 2 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
â—¦ 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
â—¦ 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ 1 teaspoon Tabasco


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Heat two medium skillets over medium heat. To each add 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Add the cippolini onions to one and the sliced white onions to the other. Add ½ cup water to each and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. If the onions are not yet cooked by the time the water evaporates, add a little more water. The cippolini onions may take a little longer. Once the onions are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, combine the two types of onions into one skillet and set aside.

In the empty skillet used to cook the onions, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Add the mustard, 1 ½ cups of the Gruyère, and 1 tablespoon salt. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the cheddar, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. Stir with a wooden spoon and simmer again until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Stir the sauce into the onions and transfer to a 14-inch gratin dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup Gruyère and ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake in the oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4