Onion Soup With Sage Brown Butter Croutons And Grated Lemon Peel Recipes

ONION SOUP WITH SAGE BROWN BUTTER, CROUTONS, AND GRATED LEMON PEEL

Steps:

• Melt 6 tablespoons butter in heavy extra-large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until onions begin to soften, 15 to 18 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and sauté until onions are very tender and deep golden brown, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed, 25 to 30 minutes longer. Transfer 1 1/2 cups caramelized onions to small bowl and reserve for garnish.
• Add 8 cups broth to remaining onions in pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes to blend flavors. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to same pot and add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin soup to desired consistency. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill reserved caramelized onions. Cool soup slightly. Chill soup uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm caramelized onions and soup separately before continuing.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add torn bread pieces and sauté until bread pieces are crisp and golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.
• Cook remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sage leaves and cook until slightly crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer leaves to small plate; reserve brown butter in saucepan.
• Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar into reserved caramelized onions, adding more vinegar by 1/2 teaspoonfuls, if desired.
• Divide warm soup among 8 bowls. Spoon vinegar-seasoned caramelized onions atop soup in each bowl. Sprinkle each serving with croutons and fried sage leaves. Drizzle sage brown butter over each; sprinkle lightly with grated lemon peel and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

SPRING ONION SOUP WITH GARLIC CROUTONS

Steps:

• Make the garlic croutons:
• Preheat the oven to 325°F. With a serrated knife remove the crust from the bread, discarding it, and cut the bread into 3/4-inch cubes. In a shallow baking pan arrange the bread cubes in one layer, bake them in the middle of the oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden, and transfer the croutons to a large bowl. In a skillet cook the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is golden and with a slotted spoon discard the garlic. Drizzle the oil over the croutons, tossing to coat them well, and sprinkle the croutons with salt to taste.
• Make the soup:
• In a kettle cook the onions in the butter and the oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are soft and pale golden, add the garlic, and cook the mixture for 3 minutes. Stir in the vermouth and boil the mixture until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add the broth, the bitters, and salt and pepper to taste and simmer the soup for 5 minutes. The soup may be made up to this point 2 days in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated. Stir in the scallion.
• Serve the soup topped with the croutons.

APPLE, SAGE, AND ONION SOUP WITH CHEDDAR-BACON CROUTONS

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add the onions, apples, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir thoroughly to coat the onions and apples in the butter.
• Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and apples are deeply caramelized, and the bottom of the pot is coated with a dark brown crust, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken broth, beef broth, wine, and bay leaf.
• Bring to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown crust.
• Simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors.
• Discard the bay leaf and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Adjust the oven rack to the upper-middle position and heat the broiler.
• Combine the cheese and bacon in a bowl and stir to distribute evenly.
• Place oven-proof soup crocks on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Stir the chopped sage into the simmering broth.
• Fill each crock almost to the top with soup.
• Top each crock with 2 baguette slices and sprinkle with some of the cheese-bacon mixture.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbling and well browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Watch the soup carefully, because once the cheese is well browned it will quickly burn.
• Serve immediately.