Caramelized onions in a rich beef broth topped with garlic toast and smothered with mozzarella cheese make this one of my favorite soups. Slowly cooking the onions until they are caramelized is a key step in the tastiness of this soup.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 to 6 large onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Bayleaf
1 tsp. flour
1 T white wine, brandy, sherry, or cooking wine
4 C beef broth (or 4 C water and 4 tsp. beef soup base or bullion cubes)
4 slices toasted bread
margarine and garlic powder for toast
mozzarella cheese
parsley, to garnish
DIRECTIONS:
In a heavy pan, heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onions, sugar, salt, thyme, and bayleaf. Reduce to medium-low heat. Cook and stir frequently. Scrape up many browned bits with a wooden spoon when stirring. Continue cooking until onions are deep golden brown and have a ham like quality. This will take 45-60 minutes. If the onions are sticking, add a tablespoon or two of water.
Discard the bayleaf. Stir in one tablespoon butter, flour, and the white wine (or sherry, brandy, or water). Cook until the butter has melted, about 30 seconds. Add the beef broth. Increase the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Butter the bread of your choice. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Toast in the broiler of the oven for two minutes until slightly crunchy.
Set the oven to broil. Ladle the soup into individual oven safe crocks. Place the toasted bread on top. Add a handful of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Place crocks in the oven under the broiler. Heat until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
STORAGE:
If you are not eating the soup until another day or you are not eating all of the soup at one time, store the soup in the refrigerator without adding the bread and cheese. When you are ready to serve it, reheat the broth. Then add the toasted bread, mozzarella cheese, and parsley.
#betterhomemade
#soup
#ThymeToCook