Cold Weather Cravings...

Yep, when it is cold I crave soup. In winter they are definitely my favorite foods...come the hot humid summer I barely make them. When I want a warm delicious soup, that is not heavy, this is the one I make.

French Onion Soup

• 4 cups of sliced yellow onion, about 2 medium

• 1/2 cup butter, 5 cups beef  stock

• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

• 4 slices of cheese (Swiss, mozzarella, provolone,   Asiago...your choice)

• 4 slices slices chewy bread...you know me, sour dough is my favorite!

 Saute onion in melted butter in soup pan until caramelized. Be patient this will take a few minutes.

Add beef stock and seasonings and simmer 30 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, preheat oven to broil.

When soup is done, place 

oven safe bowls on a cookie sheet. Ladle soup into bowls, top with a slice of bread and then cheese. Place in oven until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

 Be careful as bowls are very hot. I do not worry about how precise my onion measurement is. If when I slice the onion it comes to a little more or less of 4 cups, I just go with it. Bread is best if it is day old, fresh tends to get soggy to quickly.

 

French Onion Sourdough Bread

This delicious bread is wonderful for sandwiches or served with soup. It takes time to caramelize the onion and is well worth the effort.

Thinly slice 2 onions, I also like mine quartered to make them smaller so they can spread out further in the dough.

Melt butter in heavy skillet, then add onions.



Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes.

When nice and brown and transparent, remove from heat and cool completely.




French Onion Sourdough Bread

2 Tbls. Butter

2 Medium onions, thinly sliced then quartered

1 cup fed sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 1/2 tsp. salt

5 cups unbleached white flour

2 tsp. yeast (optional for faster rise)

 

 

Melt butter in a heavy skillet add onions. Cook on medium low for about twenty minutes stirring every five minutes. When nice and brown remove from heat and cool completely.

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

 

Stir  onions into starter. Stir in warm water. Add remaining ingredients. Knead until smooth, 7-10 minutes. Allow dough to rise about 90 minutes until doubled in size.

 

Divide dough in half, gently shape into two loaves. Cover and let rise once again until double.

 

Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes until golden brown, cool on a rack.