6 medium yellow onions, plus 1/2 cup finely diced onion
4 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound wild rice
Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
Peel onions. Place 6 whole onions in heavy medium pot or casserole with a cover. Slice 4 tablespoons butter and scatter on top of onions. Cover pot. Bake in oven for 5 hours. Onions will be golden and give off lots of pan juices. Set aside.
One hour before serving, wash rice and drain in colander. Prepare wild rice. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in medium pot with cover. Add rice and 1/2 cup finely diced onion. Stir with wooden spoon for 5 minutes or until rice gets a bit crispy. Slowly add 1 quart cold water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Lower heat and cover pot. Cook over medium heat for 50 minutes. Uncover pot and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes or longer until rice is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain in colander, if necessary, to remove excess liquid. Transfer to a warm bowl or platter. Heat five-hour onions gently on top of stove. With slotted spoon, place onions on top of rice. Pour onion juices over the rice and serve. (This can be easily reheated in the oven.)
Makes 6 servings.