Bless Her Heart

The flavor of an onion varies depending on which kind of onion is. Some are sweet and mild. Others are pungent and spicy.

Wild onions were being used in Central Asia over 7,000 years ago.

Ancient Egyptians held onions in high regard – using them in religious rituals, as offerings to the gods, as currency and as items found in burial tombs to supposedly accompany the deceased into the afterlife.

Nutritionally, onions are an excellent source of essential vitamins, such as vitamin C… minerals – folate, potassium and manganese…as well as a good source of dietary fiber and antioxidants.

Like all of the other vegetables in the bulb family, onions have a gamut of health benefits – helping to lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, inflammation and blood pressure.

Onions are a staple in most kitchens, used to easily enhance both the flavor and texture of whatever you might be making.

Some of the ways that onions can be used include…

• base for soups, sauces and stews
• fried (after all, who needs French fries when onion rings are also on the menu, right(?!))
• garnish
• pickled
• raw in salads
• sautéed in stir-fries
• or as a flavor enhancer in many dishes

But perhaps my favorite way to use onions is in French Onion Soup.

French Onion Soup

My favorite time of year is the fall…(or autumn, if you call it that, bless your heart).

And one of the things that I really like about the fall is all of the foods that you typically don’t eat any other time of the year – such as pumpkin-flavored anything and everything…and soup.

And any time I get a bowl of French onion soup as a fancy restaurant, I know that it will typically be followed by a really good meal that is all fancy like Applebee’s.

After all, what could be better than a ramekin full of caramelized onions and a delicious, rich beef broth…topped with cheesy, garlic toast.

Typical ingredients found in French onion soup include…

• Beef Broth: Beef broth acts as the foundation or base ingredient in this soup…so it’s important that you use good-quality broth.
• Cheese: Both Gruyere or Swiss cheese are great for this recipe. If Gruyere is available, it will be better because of its creamy, nutty character. Feel free to also experiment with other types of cheese – Manchego, provolone, fontina, mozzarella – or blend of cheeses. In fact, most French onion soups are topped with three cheeses for maximum decadence.
• Onions: Sweet onions, such as Vidalia onions, are the best type of onion to use in French onion soup because they complement the savory beef broth. But feel free to use any type of onion you like or have on hand – yellow, red or white.
• Port wine or dry sherry: This adds richness and depth to the soup. If you’re wary of using alcohol, use beef broth with a splash of vinegar – white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar.
• Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce gives French onion soup its rich flavor and shouldn’t be left out.

French Onion Soup

Prep Timer: 20min…Cook Time2 hours…Yield: 2¼ quarts

• 4C thinly sliced onions (about three pounds)
• 5C beef broth
• ½C port wine or dry sherry
• 2 garlic cloves
• 24 slices French bread baguette (1/2 inch thick)
• ¾C shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• 4 slices provolone cheese
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 5Tbsp olive oil
• 1Tbsp unsalted butter
• ½tsp pepper
• ¼tsp salt
• 1tsp Italian seasoning
• 2Tbsp Worcestershire sauce,
• 2 bay leaves

Caramelize the onions: Melt butter with olive oil in Dutch oven medium heat. Add onions. Cook for about an hour, until the onions are caramelized. At this point, the onions should be completely tender and golden brown. Add the minced garlic. Cook for two minutes.

Simmer the broth: Add the wine, beef broth, thyme, salt and pepper to the Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat. Simmer for an hour with the cover on the Dutch oven, stirring occasionally.

Toast the baguette: Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Place the bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides of the bread with oil. Bake 5min per side, until toasted. Rub toasts with halved garlic.

Prepare soup to broil: Turn the oven onto the broil setting. Set oven rack 4” from heat source. Ladle soup into twelve 8-ounce broiler-safe bowls or ramekins.  Place the bowls on baking sheets.

Top with cheese: Place two pieces of toasts on top of each bowl. Top each piece of toast with provolone, Swiss and Parmesan. Place bowls on a cookie sheet.

Broil: Broil 3min, until the cheese is melted.

To Store: Let the soup cool down complete. (Add bread later). Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to four days. Reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add the bread and cheese once the soup is hot.

To Freeze: Freeze the soup (without the bread) for up to three months. To serve, thaw the soup in the fridge overnight. Reheat as directed. Reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Add the bread and cheese once the soup is hot.