Onion Soup

I don't know why I save onion soup for special occasions. It's relatively simple to make, and is one of Len's favorites. Maybe it's that I've never considered such a brothy soup hearty enough for a meal, so I tend to use it as an appetizer, and how often do I serve multi-course meals (Christmas, maybe)?

Tonight I served onion soup and chicken noodle soup for this season's Soup Night kickoff, and with salad and bread it WAS enough for dinner. Maybe I'll make it for one of our family's favorite simple meals: soup, artisan bread, cheese, and apples.

This recipe is based on Mollie Katzen's from her Moosewood Cookbook. The most obvious change is that I usually use beef broth. A quadruple batch made about 5 quarts, in case you were wondering.

Onion Soup
5 cups thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
butter, as needed
1 quart stock or water (I use Swanson's 50% less sodium beef broth in a box)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (I use reduced sodium)
3 Tbsp dry white wine
1/2 tsp dry mustard
dash of thyme
a few dashes of white pepper
1 tsp honey
optional toppers:
skinny, dense French baguette
garlic cloves, peeled
shredded Italian cheese blend

• Cook the onions and garlic, lightly salted, in the butter in a kettle. Cook them until very-but-not-too brown. Use medium heat to cook them gradually and thoroughly. I leave the lid on for a long time, then cook uncovered to evaporate the liquid and promote browning. Watch carefully and stir more frequently during the uncovered stage. The onions will decrease dramatically in volume.
• Add remaining soup ingredients. Cook slowly, covered, at least 30 minutes.

You know how yummy onion soup is with bread and cheese broiled on top? Well, I don't have the correct bowls, so I improvise with this make-ahead variation:

• Slice a baguette (it must be skinny and dense) at a slight angle, about 1/4 inch thick. Put the slices on a baking sheet and broil. Watch carefully, and turn them over with tongs to brown both sides. You'll need to monitor closely, because the pieces will be done at different times.
• When all the slices are toasted, rub one side of each with fresh garlic.
• Spread the bread on the baking sheet again. Cover with shredded cheese. I use an Italian blend, but provolone or Gruyere or whatever you like is fine. (I don't recommend something stringy like all mozzarella.) Bake (this way all the pieces will be done at once) in the oven until the cheese is melted and maybe even a little bit golden.
• These goodies can be kept at room temperature and floated on top of your bowl of soup. We find that three or four slices fit nicely. They start out crunchy, but once they've soaked up some broth, the toppers can be cut and eaten with your spoon. Enjoy!

Pesto: Summer in a Bag

There's something cheery about serving pesto in February. That bright green, that summery smell--fantastic!

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How to achieve enjoyment of this out of season treat? Well, you can buy pesto sauce in a jar (eh), or make your own with expensive grocery store basil. I prefer to harvest our basil, make several batches of sauce, and freeze it in small bags, which are easy to thaw and toss with pasta.

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Elizabeth gave me this recipe many years ago. The only changes I've made are to put "Ever Fresh" in to save the bright color and to add some salt at serving time.

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Pesto Sauce

2 1/2 cups fresh basil, washed then spun or patted dry

1/2 cup walnuts

4 large garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp "Ever Fresh" or equivalent (ascorbic acid), dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

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Put everything in the bowl of a food processor (a double batch fits well). Process until smooth. Store flat in pint-size freezer bags, being sure to press out all the air. To serve:

1 pound pasta (reserve 2 cups cooking water)

1/2 tsp salt, optional

2 ounces cream cheese, optional

1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

• Cook pasta in boiling water.
• Meanwhile, thaw pesto in a container of hot water, then scrape into a serving dish. If desired, add salt and cream cheese. Mash and mix to combine, adding some pasta water as needed. Reserve more pasta water before draining.
• Drain pasta and add to the sauce. Toss to coat, adding water as needed. Sprinkle with half the grated cheese, toss, add remaining cheese, and toss again. Serve with a smile.