French Onion Soup

I make soup every week for lunches or light dinner meals, and French Onion Soup is a favorite to have on hand.

If it's the"soup of the day" at a restaurant, I always order it to see what cheese they use which can vary depending on the chef.

Parmesan seems to be very popular, and I always have that on hand, but occasionally I've purchased Gouda, Gruyere or use Swiss to make it extra special.

Some folks top the soup with a toasted baguette slice and cheese, some use ready made croutons, but I discovered placing the toasted bread or croutons on the bottom of the cup or ramekin, then ladling soup in, followed by the cheese on top works best for presentation.

A nice twist to this recipe is adding cooked bacon which adds more texture and another flavor.  If your budget is tight, it can be left out and still taste delightful.

For an appetizer soup,  light dinner or lunch, try French Onion Soup and a salad!  This soup freezes well and the recipe can easily be doubled.


French Onion Soup
1/2 pound bacon , chopped
3 pounds onions thinly sliced into rings
1 tsp. sugar
2 Tabs. flour
8 cups of beef broth, or 8 cups of beef bullion
2 Tabs. fresh thyme ( or 1 Tab. dry thyme), save a few pinches for garnish
1/2 cup wine, red or white
black pepper to taste
1 tsp. salt or to taste
6 to 8 slices toasted white bread rounds, about a half inch thick or commercial croutons
1 to 1-1/2  Tabs. sherry, optional
8 -10  ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly shaved or grated; other cheeses, such as Swiss, Gruyere or Gouda work well, too.

Saute bacon until crispy in a large pot, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Transfer bacon to a paper towel and set aside.

Saute onions, thyme and sugar on medium high heat for 25 minutes in bacon fat, stirring occasionally. Onions will slowly cook down until caramelized, turning golden brown. Add flour and stir until blended.

Deglaze pan with wine by pouring in wine and scraping bottom of pan of browned bits and cook about 1 minute.  Add beef stock; salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes, allowing flavors to blend.

Meanwhile prepare croutons, if toasting fresh bread slices. Assemble individual soup bowls, cups or ramekins:  Add 1/2 teaspoon sherry and one large crouton (or several commercially made) in bottom of bowls.

Sprinkle crouton's with 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon pieces then ladle soup into bowl. Top with cheese shavings, or sprinkle grated cheese over soup, top with a pinch of thyme and place bowls on a baking sheet.

Put sheet in the oven and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Makes nearly a gallon. Serve immediately.  Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Estimated cost with bacon: $6.00 or less; $.60 cents or less per serving.

Potato Leek Soup (vichyssoise)

I discovered this tasty soup years ago as a commercial dry soup mix.  For years that's how I made it, until I discovered how to make it from scratch on a TV show.  I guess I never noticed leeks at the grocery store an they were not a part of my family meals or diet growing up.

It's simple to make, so if seeing leeks at the grocer or farmer's market, I always pick up a few to make soup and also to slice into salads.  They have a mild garlic/onion taste.

They keep well in the refrigerator, and I use them like one would use green onions in a recipe.  Some folks serve this soup cold, but I like it warm and often use a an appetizer soup for meals.

I'm planting leeks this year and hoping  for a steady supply once I get a bed of them started, which will reduce the cost even more.

Using cream does make it richer tasting, but at times I've simply used milk and it's still a great tasting soup.

Potato & Leek Soup
2 - 3 medium leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed
3 Tabs. butter
3 - 4 thin slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed small
3 - 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup half & half
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1 Tab. snipped chives or green onion for garnish

Trim off dark green portions of the leek, half the white part lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to wash off any dirt. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside. Cooking time is shortened when leeks are sliced thin rather than chopped.
In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, add bacon and cook until bacon fat renders and pieces are crisp. Remove bacon and set aside.

Add leek slices and cook for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, bay leaf, salt and pepper, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 30 - 45 minutes.

Turn off heat, cool down a bit then puree mixture with a food processor, blender, or  immersion wand, until smooth. Stir in the cream, half & half. Taste and adjust seasoning. Simmer until all is heated.

Sprinkle with chives and crumbled bacon and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold (vichyssoise) Serves 6-8.

Estimated cost: $5.00 or less with buying leek and cream; .66 cents or less per serving. Using milk lowers the cost per serving.