when all I want is a bowl of comforting mush

Caramelized Onion & Toasted Rice Porridge

You’ve probably seen it all over the news, and yes, it still hasn’t snowed in New York. Snow days in the city are why I moved here from sunny California. Blizzard is my favorite weather. Our first winter here, almost 15 years ago, was full-on Home Alone Lost In New York. Everything was white for months, and I trudged through all that snow in a triple layer of hoodies and a pair of converse. Now I’m so ready with my Patagonia puffer and L.L. Beans snow boots, and not even a flurry. It’s still cold though, but cold weather without snow is just a mean trick. I’m suffering through chapped lips and leafless trees for nothing!

Not getting to enjoy my favorite time of year has made me crave comfort. After a long, cold walk in no snow, nothing warms up my belly and soul better than a hot bowl of mush. That mush can be anything, from cinnamon apple oats to a cheesy bowl of grits, as long as chewing is not required. Growing up, rice porridge was my mom’s go-to whenever I was sick or sad. The version I ate as a kid had yellow lentils, ginger, chicken, and potatoes. (You can find a recipe for it here.) Nowadays I make rice porridge in many ways with whatever I’ve got around. The rice is a blank, bland canvas that will work with any flavors you throw at it, from mild miso and soy sauce, to a punchy combo of Calabrian chili, lemon, and parmesan cheese.

This rice porridge takes two of my comfort favorites and puts them together: rice porridge with all the flavors of French onion soup. For a deeply savory bowl, I layer different nutty brown flavors, starting by toasting the rice, then caramelizing onions, deglazing with a dark liquor, and simmering it all in a rich bone broth. It takes some time to fully caramelize the onions until jammy and sweet, but I like to listen to an audiobook or podcast to pass the time while I stir. (I’m currently listening to A Generation of Sociopaths: How the Baby Boomers Betrayed America. It really confirms my suspicion that boomers have ruined the world. I bet they’re why we don’t have snow!)

Caramelized Onion & Toasted Rice Porridge

serves 4 | active time: 1 ½ hours | total time: 1 ½ hours

Caramelized Onion & Toasted Rice Porridge

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INGREDIENTS

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• ¾ cup short-grain rice, such as carnaroli, bomba, or sushi rice

• 6 cups chicken or beef bone broth, divided

• 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• kosher salt

• ⅓ cup dark rum, whiskey, or cognac (optional)

• freshly ground black pepper

• ¾ cup (2 ounces) grated pecorino cheese, plus more to serve 

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1. Add the rice to a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it smells nutty and becomes lightly golden, about 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer the rice to a heat-proof bowl and cover with 2 cups of broth. Stir to combine and set aside. 

2. Add the onions and butter to the pot and return to medium heat (the pot will be very hot now, so be sure to add the onions first or the butter will burn). Add a big pinch of salt and stir until the butter melts. Cover and cook until the onions wilt and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized, about 30 minutes. 

3. Turn off the heat and pour in the liquor (if using). Turn the heat to medium-high and simmer until reduced, 1 to 2 minutes. 

4. Add the remaining bone broth, soaked rice, all the soaking liquid, a big pinch of salt, and season generously with lots of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is totally tender, the grains have burst, and the broth is thickened, about 20 minutes. 

5. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. 

6. Ladle into bowls and serve right away with more cheese sprinkled on top. 

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Ingredient Substitutions

• SHORT GRAIN RICE: I use short grain rice here because it cooks up fast and results in a creamier porridge than medium or long grain, but any rice will work. You can also make this with an equal amount of teff, amaranth, steel-cut oats, or coarse cornmeal. 

• BONE BROTH: Is it a made-up marketing term? Yes. But, I’ve found that broths in the store labeled “bone broth” rather than “broth” or “stock” tend to be richer in flavor and texture. My favorite brand is Brodo. However, any broth, stock, or bouillon will also work. 

• PECORINO CHEESE: Swap in an equal amount of any hard cheese, like parmesan or grana padano.

• RUM/WHISKEY/COGNAC: Deglazing the pan with dark liquor adds extra richness and unlocks all the alcohol soluble flavors in the onions. If you don’t have any it’s totally fine to leave it out.