Soup again? 

Guess, it’s just the time of the year that screams…”SOUP”!  Even though the weather has been mild, in South Louisiana, so far – I just love making soup in January…and I love French Onion Soup.  But, when I see “Creole Onion Soup” on a menu…well, my heart stops!  Maybe, it’s because you just don’t see it that often or  maybe –  it’s just that good… Whatever the reason, if a restaurant has it on their menu, try it!  It is similar to French Onion Soup, except it is creamier (but without cream) and there isn’t a thick crust of cheese on top.

Don’t be mistaken into thinking or reading that it is “a short cut” to making a great onion soup…because, if you do it right – it’s not!  Yea, you still need to peel and slice a small mountain of fresh onions and cook them down slowly..but so worth the effort! 

Ingredients:

3 lbs medium Vidalia or other “sweet” onions – sliced very thinly using either a mandolin, food processor or by hand (have your goggles ready!)

1 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup dry white wine (Justin Wilson was right on this one…never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink!)  Looks like a little more than a cup – just noticed! Guess, it worked…

1/2 gallon beef stock – homemade or using concentrated beef stock

1 can beef consomme’

1 cup of water

3 springs fresh thyme – if you can’t get fresh, just omit

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 clove garlic – chopped

1 loaf of baguette bread or small french bread – cut into small rounds, buttered lightly and toasted in oven

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Melt butter and olive oil in medium size dutch oven or soup pot;

Add onions (it will look like they won’t fit…but they will cook down quite a bit!)

Stir onions well – to make sure that they are all coated with the butter and olive oil;

Cook on high heat – stirring frequently – just until onions begin to saute’, then lower  to a medium heat;

Add salt and sugar – continue to cook and stir often until onions begin to carmelize (about 1 hour).  If onions begin to brown or cook too quickly, turn heat down;

Add chopped garlic and cook for an additional 5 minutes;

Very slowly, add flour to onions (about 1/4 cup at a time) stirring and blending well in between additions, until all flour has been added;

Stir flour and onion mixture, stirring constantly (being careful not to break up the onions), for another 10 minutes;

Slowly, add wine – stirring and blending into mixture as you pour;

Cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping bottoms and sides of pot to delgaze, for about 10 minutes;

Add beef broth, consomme’ and water – stir to blend and combine into soup;

Add fresh thyme, bay leaf, cayenne and black pepper;

Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer – cook for 30 minutes;

Turn off heat, cover and let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving;

Place a piece of toasted bread round (or two!) in the bottom of a bowl and pour soup on top…

I promise…it’s good! 

So good, that when my husband, Robert, started eating his bowl of soup (In front of the TV…on his lap!)  I could hear him moaning…”That is sooo good – no, delicious!”  then a little louder…”what kind of cheese did you use?”  To my, “No cheese!”; then…”is that sherry in the soup?”  “No, white wine!” …Finally, “man, I need another bowl of that stuff!” And my final warning…”remember, onions and your heart burn!”  Surprise…he ignored me and had the second bowl! 

That good….