Onion Soup With Loads Of Thyme And Giant Gruyère Crostini Recipes

ONE-POT FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH GARLIC-GRUYèRE CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over high heat. Add the oxtail (or beef shoulder) in a single layer (work in batches, if necessary to avoid crowding the pan), and sear until the undersides are brown (do not turn). Season generously with salt and transfer to a plate.
• Coarsely chop two of the onions; add to the pot, along with the celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme. Lower heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Return the beef to the pot. Pour in 8 cups water. Simmer mixture gently until the meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Transfer beef to a bowl to cool for another use. Strain liquid into a bowl over a fine-mesh sieve; press gently on the solids with the back of a spatula to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the solids; you should have about 10 cups broth (add water if necessary to equal 10 cups).
• Halve the remaining 6 onions through the root end, then peel and thinly slice them lengthwise. Melt the butter in the bottom of the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, tossing occasionally, until deep golden-brown and caramelized, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Pour in the port and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and simmer mixture over low heat for 30 minutes. Season with salt and lemon juice, if desired. (For a smaller group, you could refrigerate some of the soup and reheat it later.)
• While the broth simmers, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast until golden, about 12 minutes. Rub the garlic halves over the surface of the bread.
• Heat the broiler and arrange a rack 4 to 6 inches from the flame. Using a cheese slicer, thinly slice 3 ounces of Gruyère. Coarsely grate the remaining cheese. Float the broiled bread over the surface of the hot soup. Layer the cheese slices over the bread; scatter the grated cheese over it. Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and broil until cheese is golden and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes (watch to see that it does not burn).
• To serve, use kitchen shears or scissors to cut the bread and cheese into portions. Ladle soup, bread and cheese into individual bowls.

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH BAGUETTE CROSTINI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the butter and onions, and saute until the onions are translucent and the edges are browned, about 30 to 40 minutes. Stir occasionally during the cooking process. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Once the onions are cooked, add the wine to deglaze the pan. Stir and then add the parsley, thyme, bay leaves and garlic. Continue to cook until all the wine has reduced, about 15 to 20 minutes. Lower the heat, add the stock and simmer until the mixture has reduced to about 3 cups total volume.
• While the stock is reducing, drizzle the sliced bread with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the bread on a cookie sheet and bake until slightly browned. Once browned, remove them from the oven.
• Heat the broiler.
• Ladle onion soup into crocks or bowls, leaving enough room for the toasted baguette. Top each bowl with a slice of bread and sprinkle with cheese. Put the crocks on a sheet pan and broil until the cheese is melted and slightly browned, about1 minute. Remove from the broiler and serve.

ONION SOUP WITH FONTINA AND THYME

Steps:

• In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and broth. Simmer, uncovered, until the onions are soft, about 15 minutes.
• Divide the soup between the 4 ovenproof ramekins. Divide the cubed bread among the ramekins. Top each with slices of fontina cheese. Place under the broiler, until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Serve immediately.

ONION AND GRUYERE SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook butter until foamy. Stir in onions and cook a couple of minutes, then reduce heat, stir in salt, cover and cook very slowly until very tender, 60 minutes.
• Transfer onions and their caramel to a larger pot and place it over medium heat. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Stir in chicken broth, pepper and nutmeg and simmer gently, uncovered, 15 minutes.
• Stir in shredded cheese until melted (cheese will remain a little stringy). Serve.