BAKED ONION SOUP - a hearty bullion soup filled with sweet onions, covered with shredded cheese and baked in an oven until golden brown.
ingredients:
3 medium sized onions
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/3 cup red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
one package egg noodles
1 pound stew meat
1 1/2 containers beef broth
OPTIONAL: 2 cups cheese of your choice
OPTIONAL: baguette
It’s getting as cold as Coerthas out here where I live and that means only one thing to me: it’s time for soup! And there’s nothing I love more than a bowl of piping hot onion soup! Though it seems difficult to get that delicious malty flavor that most baked onion soups get, it’s really not! I always like things a little more hearty so we’re gonna add some noodles and some meat into this soup! It’s a spin on an old favorite that everyone will be certain to love! Before we begin, get yourself a large pot and heat up some oil; as per usual! Then chop your mushrooms and toss them into the pot. They’ll need some time to soften up. While you’re sauteing them, begin to cut your onions. Normally, we dice our onions. Not this time. This time they must be halved and sliced especially thin -- like so.
Once the mushrooms are soft, add the onions, salt and some pepper and a bit more oil. You’ll want to wait until the mixture is golden brown and smelling delicious! As a garlic freak I added some garlic here for extra flavor. Once everything is popping, add your beef that you salted and peppered.
KITCHEN TIP: If you’re able to get your hands on fresh, full rosemary sprigs, when you add in your beef, toss in a large rosemary sprig into the pot. You’ll want to cover the pot and let the flavor permeate the rest of the onions, mushrooms and beef. It will add a burst of flavor as well as make your kitchen smell delightful! Don’t try this with dried rosemary, as the dried leaves will get into the soup and it won’t be a smooth broth. Of course, this is completely optional! I was given fresh rosemary from the grocery store I work on and wanted to utilize it best I could though!
Be sure to brown your beef thoroughly. Stew meat cooks easily and you won’t have to worry too much about over cooking it.Once the beef in your mixture is browned on all sides, remove the mixture from your pot and reserve on the side. If you used rosemary (as I did here) discard of it now.
In your still piping hot pot, add your beef broth, wine, balsamic and some more pepper and then bring to a steady boil. You’ll want to be sure that the alcohol in your wine has burned off but also make sure the broth doesn’t get too foaming -- it’ll add a bitter, almost burnt taste to your soup. Once it’s boiling, add your beef and onion mixture back to the broth.
At this point, you can add your egg noodles! Fresh pasta takes only about 4 minutes from a rolling boil to cook completely through and we’re using egg noodles here which only take about 3. If you love al dente, you should be fine, but if you want your noodles a little softer, boil the whole pot for about 4 to 5 minutes and then serve. If you cook it longer, the noodles will become completely soggy and no one wants soggy pasta!
If you’re REALLY excited about eating your soup, serve yourself a hearty bowl right away. But if you’re feeling a little adventurous grab your favorite cheese and transfer to an appropriate bowl that can sit in the oven.
Pre-heart to 400 degrees and sprinkle your cheese over the top. Parmesan, Asiago or Swiss would be your best pair with this. Put your soup in the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is nice and golden brown and baked to perfection then dive on in with bread and VOILA!
You’ve got yourself a steaming, piping hot bowl of soup that will chase away even the harshest of weather! I’ve always loved baked onion soup .. and now that I know I can make it on my own, I don’t wanna eat anything else! Of course, if you don’t eat meat, you don’t have to add the beef. The meal is perfectly fine without it! I just personally love hearty, beefy soups like this.
Remember to keep a look out for the other soups in this series! I’ve been experimenting with bacon broth and I think i’ve found the right recipe for it! Keep your eyes peeled for it! If you have any questions or concerns, send me a message! And happy cooking!