Recipe: Russian Potato Casserole with Caramelized Onions (layered)

RUSSIAN POTATO CASSEROLE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS
"Here's a recipe for a new twist on a potato dish."

FOR THE CARAMELIZED ONIONS:
6 large sweet onions, diced or sliced thin
5 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
FOR THE POTATOES:
4 lbs. Russet (baking) potatoes
Chicken stock
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream (plus additional for top)
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 Tbsp. thyme (or to taste)

TO PREPARE THE ONIONS:
Caramelize onions in 5 tablespoons butter, stirring occasionally. When onions are deep brown, add sugar, saute few minutes more (total cooking time for onions will be about 1 1/2 hours).

TO PREPARE THE POTATOES:
Boil potatoes in chicken stock until slightly overdone. Drain, reserve stock. Mash potatoes, adding 1/2 cup butter.

Add eggs to sour cream. Add this to potatoes, stirring quickly to distribute egg evenly as it cooks in the hot potatoes. Add heavy cream and thyme. Add enough reserved stock to make potatoes rather loose; they will dry out in oven.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Layer the potato mixture and caramelized onions in a buttered baking dish:
1/3 potatoes
1/2 onions
1/3 potatoes
1/2 onions
1/3 potatoes
Sour cream

(May be refrigerated at this point. Bring to room temperature before baking.)

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, till top is lightly browned.

Makes 8 servings
From: Emma - 11-26-97