Onion Gratin With Fresh Thyme Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or pan set over medium-high heat. Peel and slice the onions into rounds while the butter is melting and add them to the pot. Toss to coat the onions and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Turn the heat down to medium and do not cover the pot. You want these babies to get brown! Stir occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes, then turn the heat to medium-low. Keep stirring (switch to a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits) until the onions are browned and soft. Add the thyme leaves, toss and remove from the heat. These will keep for 5 days in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Use the leftovers with eggs, on top of a salad, or straight from the bowl with a fork.

Steps:

• Place rack just above centre; preheat oven to 375.
• Thinly remove both ends of onions; peel onions. Cut each in half around the equator. Using a sharp knife, cross hatch these inner surfaces with cuts about 1/2 inch apart, going quite deeply down, but not through narrow ends of rounds. lay them snugly, cut side up, on a rimmed baking tray.
• Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with chopped thyme, salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Transfer onions, cross hatched side up, fitting snugly into a baking dish just large enough to hold all in a single layer, such as a large oval gratin dish or a 9 - 13 inch disyh.
• Stir cream with wine; pour over onions. Cover dish with foil; continue baking for 25 minutes or until onions are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Remove dish from oven; uncover onions.
• Increase oven temperature to 450.
• Sprinikle onions with Parmesan; then with Gruyere. Bake uncovered for 8 minutes or until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling. Serve garnished with chopped thyme.

Steps:

• Up to 2 days before serving, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and thyme, cover, and cook over a gentle heat for 10-15 mins until softened and caramelised. Pour the cream and milk into a large bowl and season well. Add the potatoes and mix to combine.
• Butter a 23 x 28cm ovenproof dish, then layer in half the potatoes. Spread the onion mixture on top, then layer on the remaining potatoes. Press down with your hands. Pour over the milk mixture, which should come just level with the potatoes. If not, add a little more milk until it does. Cover with foil, then bake for 11⁄2 hrs until tender. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Cover and store in the fridge.
• On the day, heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Uncover the gratin, spread the crème fraîche on top, then sprinkle over the Parmesan. Put in the oven and cook for 30 mins until the cheese is melted, the top crisp and golden brown, and the gratin piping hot. Serve garnished with extra thyme.