Hi Everyone, welcome to another edition of Soupin It Up W/Sped- the Onion Soups Edition.
And while I have your attention please go and donate something for us to auction off for the Netroots Nation Auction.
Please note: tonight's poll asks you to vote for which night I should move this diary series to as I have had a work schedule change and Sundays are too difficult for me now :(. Next week's Soup theme will be St. Patty's Day soups :)
Sped's Famous French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
4 vidalia onions, sliced thin
2 purple onions, sliced thin
2 medium leeks, sliced thin
3 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp sugar
1 cup dry white cooking wine
5 cups beef stock
Holland Rusk Crouton (optional)
Provolone or Gruyere or both (optional)
Directions:
- Coat onions and leeks with dry seasonings and olive oil and roast in an oven until you can just smell the onion fragrance in the air.
- Transfer onions to soup pot and add the cooking wine. Simmer 2-3 minutes.
- Add beef stock and simmer 2 hours on low.
- When ready to serve ladle into a bowl and top with a holland rusk and cheese (you can put the bowl under a broiler to melt the cheese like in a restaurant).
Creamy Onion Soup
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups sweet yellow onions (thinly sliced)
1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth or stock
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 cup diced cheddar cheese, cubes (compressed in measuring cup)
1 1/2-1 3/4 cups white sauce
4 bay leaves (more or less if you like)
shredded cheddar cheese or monterey jack cheese or colby cheese (to garnish, or a combo)
Directions
- For the white sauce: In a 1-quart saucepan melt butter and add flour, cook on medium heat until the flour turns thick and comes away from the side of the saucepan.
- Pour milk in flour a little at a time and stir constantly. Mixture should thicken and become like thick pudding. Remember to stir constantly taking care not to let mixture lump, set aside off from heat until ready to use for the soup.
- In 2-quart saucepan place 3 tablespoons butter and sliced onions. Cook at low to medium heat stirring frequently until soft and clear but not brown.
- Add chicken broth or stock from can, chicken bouillon cubes, bay leaves, pepper, and stir until completely heated through.
- Add white sauce and cubed cheddar cheese to onion mixture. White sauce will be thick because it has been removed from the heat. Simmer on medium low heat until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are blended, stirring constantly. Turn temperature to warm and let cook for additional 30 minute to 45 minutes.
Spring Onion Soup
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 bunches scallions—white and tender green parts cut into 1-inch lengths, green tops thinly sliced
4 leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 cups dry white wine
3 cups water
2 cups heavy cream
Directions
- In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the white and tender green parts of the scallions, along with the leeks, fennel and onion; season with salt and white pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, 15 minutes.
- Add the wine and boil over high heat until reduced to a few tablespoons, 12 minutes.
- Add the water and cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are very tender and pale green, 15 minutes.
- Add the scallion green tops and cook just until softened, 2 minutes.
- Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender and return it to the pot. Season with salt and white pepper.