A Winter Dish of Potatoes, Onions, and Melted Cheese

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Bring a large pan of water to a boil while you peel the potatoes and cut them as you would for boiling. Salt the water, add the potatoes, and let them simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, until just tender enough to take the tip of a knife.

   Step 2

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). As the potatoes are cooking, peel the onion, cut it in half and then into thick slices. Warm a little olive oil in a deep Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat, add the onion, and let it soften and color lightly, stirring from time to time so that it does not brown.

   Step 3

   When the potatoes are tender, drain them, then cut through each one (I do this while they are still in the pan) so that they are roughly bite sized. Add them to the onion pan—if they crumble a bit, that is all to the good—then toss them with the Gruyère. Grind over some salt and black pepper, then scatter with the grated Parmesan.

   Step 4

   Bake for about thirty-five to forty minutes, until the cheese is melted and the potatoes and onion are golden. You can steam or boil the greens while this is happening, a few minutes before you expect the potatoes to be ready.