Onion Soup with Madeira

Onion soup with toasted, cheesy bread or croutons was traditionally served after midnight at Parisian restaurants to please crowds coming out of the opera or theaters. This particular recipe comes from the Ducastaing Restaurant, which was a famous Parisian hang out for actors, writers, and performers.


It never fails that this time of year I crave the comfort and warmth of soups, especially onion soup topped with gooey, yummy melted cheese on toasted bread. I make this version throughout the holidays. It is a tradition in France to have a large pot of onion soup heating on the stove to serve after midnight on Christmas eve, or after a long evening of dancing and food festivities. It is such a convivial way to start the new year. This soup gets better as you reheat it and it's simple to double or even triple the recipe for a larger crowd. It will keep for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.

I particularly love the taste of Madeira, which adds a definite sweetness. You may use a dry sherry or port, or even dry white wine instead of Madeira.


Serves 6 - 8

For the Soup:
4 oz. Butter or ½ cup Cooking Oil
3 - 4 Onions, thinly sliced
½ cup Whole Wheat Flour
½ cup Dry Madeira
8 cups Vegetable Stock or Broth
1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper to taste
Large pinch of Dried Thyme
Large pinch of Ground Mace

For the Garnish:

1½ cup Grated Gruyère
1 Egg Yolk
2 Tbsp Butter
6 - 8 slices toasted Whole-Wheat Bread

Heat the butter in a large saucepan or casserole (Le Creuset is best). Sauté the onions until translucent (about 6 minutes), allowing them to turn slightly golden and caramelized.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Stir in the Madeira and stock or broth. Boil for 20 minutes, then add the cheese, salt, pepper, thyme and mace. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the garnish. Blend the cheese, egg yolk, and butter to a paste. Spread a little on each slice of toast and brown under the broiler (griller) . Serve the soup in individual tureens, floating one slice of cheesy toast on each bowl.



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Roasted Chestnuts

This recipe is tucked inside a drawer or in the back of a recipe box or dog-eared in a magazine in almost every kitchen. Chances are, it hasn't been tried yet. This is the next best thing to the chestnut vendor on the street.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Cut an X across the round side of each chestnut, otherwise they will explode. Arrange on a cookie sheet and roast until the skins pull back from the cuts and the nutmeats are soft. Time depends on the chestnut, but at least 15-20 minutes. Remove the nuts from the oven, mound in a dishtowel, wrap them up and squeeze, let sit for a few minutes. Open a bottle of beaujolais and pour a glass, (or a cup of wassail), peel the skin off the first chestnut and enjoy.

Marge's Wassail

While wassail is quick to prepare, made hours in advance it will fill the home with a wonderful aroma.

Ingredients:

2 quarts sweet apple cider
2 c orange juice
1 c lemon juice
1 1/2 c unsweetened pineapple juice
1 stick cinnamon
12 whole cloves
sugar or honey to taste

Stir all ingredients in a large pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Do not boil or it will thicken. Strain to remove cloves. Serve hot with or without rum or brandy.  Garnish with a thin fresh orange slice cut on the round.

Hot Buttered Rum

If you dare to make this hot buttered rum, there will never be another in your life.  Splurge and enjoy. This recipe serves many and without the rum it is a treat for the under 21 crowd as well.

1/2 lb Organic Brown Sugar
1/2 lb Organic Powdered Sugar
1/2 lb Organic Butter (unsalted and room temp)
1/2 quart good quality Organic Vanilla Ice Cream (softened)
1 tsp Nutmeg

Blend all ingredients until smoth. Freeze to chill and harden. Use 1-2 Tb. per cup. Add hot water and 1 oz of rum to make 1 cup.

Keep in the freezer until all is gone.

Wild Rice Soup

Wild rice soup was the signature dish of a Minneapolis department store's restaurant.  After moving back to the west coast I missed it so much I recreated my own version.  This recipe makes ~ 6 cups.

6 Tb butter

1 Tb minced onion

1/2 c flour

3 cups warm chicken broth 

2 cups cooked wild rice *

1/2 c finely grated carrots

3 Tb chopped slivered almonds

1/2 tsp salt

1 c half and half

2 Tb dry sherry

minced parsley and or chives

Melt butter in a saucepan on med heat; saute onion until tender, do not brown. Blend in flour, gradually add broth no more than 1/2 c at a time. Do not add more broth until absorbed. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 1 minute. Stir in rice, carrots, almonds and salt; simmer ~ 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with herbs.

*1 c wild rice

  1 tsp salt

  4 c water

Rinse wild rice under running water using a stainer. Place rice in a heavy saucepan with salt and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until kernals are open and tender but not mushy (45-55 minutes) Drain excess liquid.

Canton's Pomegranate Salsa

The boise co-op deli's cranberry salsa is unrivaled, but with pomegranates in season, this is a nice alternative and so fast and easy to make.

Ingredients:

The seeds from 1 large pomegranate or 2 medium (add more for a sweeter salsa)
1 large red onion chopped
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/4 c rice vinegar
salt to taste
1 or 2 habenero, serrano or jalapena peppers (adjust to taste-2 makes a hot batch)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover, let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Peg's Shrimp Bisque Appetizer

My friend Peg makes this soup every Christmas Eve for friends. It is so good that everyone always wants more. This recipe serves 6 3/4 cup servings so make several batches in advance if serving as a main course.

Ingredients:

1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper chopped
1/2 c yellow onion chopped
1/2 lb raw shrimp cleaned and cut in pieces. (Save a few cleaned whole shrimp with tails on for garnish)
2 cups fat free or reduced fat half & half
1 c tomato sauce (sodium free)
1/4 tsp hot sauce (+ or - to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp butter
1/4 c freshly grated parmesean or pecorino

Heat olive oil in a sauce pan.  Add red pepper and onion, saute on low heat until soft, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add shrimp, (may include the whole shrimp or saute on the side), half and half, tomato sauce, hot sauce and salt and pepper.
Bring to a just a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add butter.
Reserve whole shrimp. Let soup mixture cool to room temperature. Put small amount of soup into a blender, (too hot or too much will explode in the blender and will scald... be careful). Process at high speed 10-15 seconds until no large pieces remain. There should be small pieces of shrimp for texture. Again, this is a taste preference. Transfer soup to a clean saucepan. Repeat with blender mixture until done.
Reheat soup on low heat.
Transfer to soup bowls, sprinkle with cheese, garnish with whole shrimp. Enjoy.

Holiday Biscotti

Everyone loves biscotti and we all have our favorite recipes. The original recipe is the traditonal hazelnut or almond biscotti that begs to be dipped in bittersweet chocolate prior to dunking in a hot cup of coffee. Here, cranberries and pistachios are added for a festive cookie.

Preheat oven @325

1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 lb.)
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 tb. orange zest (fine)
3 3/4 cup of flour (or 3 c flour and 3/4 c fine cormeal for even extra crunch and nutty flavor)
1 tb. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 -2 tsp anise
1/2-3/4 c dried cranberries
1/2-3/4 c shelled pistachios

Cream butter and sugar, beat in cranberries and pistachios, add eggs, vanilla and zest.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt and add to the wet ingredients.
Place dough on a floured surface or a roul 'pat, cut in half and form into 2 logs ~2 1/2 inch in diameter.
Place apart on a buttered baking sheet. Bake 45-60 minutes, cool slightly. Use a serrated knife and cut 1/2 inch diagonal slices. Place the cookies flat on your cookie sheet and bake for another 10-15 minutes.

The baking time is personal.