By Sarah Fertsch
Staff Writer
I don’t know about you, but recently I have been bundled under a fuzzy blanket, shivering in the dark as soon as the sun sets earlier and earlier each night.
During this cold, dark season, we seek warmth and comfort. No one wants a cold salad or soft serve ice cream; we crave hot casseroles, like Mom used to make.
In this issue of Shore Local, we give you tried-and-true recipes that will put a smile on your family’s faces. They’re simple to follow, quick to make, and truly embody the definition of comfort food. Here are four recipes to warm your bones this November:
French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
- 6 large yellow onions
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
- ½ cup of dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups of beef or vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups of freshly-grated gruyere cheese
- 8 slices of French bread
- Salt
- Pepper
Peel and thinly slice the onions, or use a sharp mandolin to cut the onion into thin strands. There should be 10 cups in total of onion.
In a large Dutch oven (five to six quarts), saute the onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir often until the onion is fragrant and transparent, 20 minutes.
Add the remaining butter and olive oil and cover with a lid. Turn the heat from medium to medium high and let the onions caramelize for another 15 minutes.
Sprinkle the onions with sugar and crushed garlic and let cook for another five minutes.
Deglaze the pot with wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom. Add the stock and bay leaves and let simmer for another 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place sliced bread on a sheet pan. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and let crisp for 5-7 minutes.
Remove bread from the oven and cover each slice with a mound of shredded gruyere. Bake for another five minutes until the cheese has melted.
Serve the soup in the bowls and top with cheesy toast. Enjoy!
