Onion Soup Ideas Wanted

[shel]

The markets here are filled with wonderful onions - baby and young spring onions and leeks, cipolinis, sweet onions, wonderful shallots, great leeks ... while making a potato leek soup for lunch I thought it might be nice to incorporate these wonderful onions into a soup. Any ideas? I'd like to stay away from loads of cheese and lots of cream. A little would be alright.

Thanks,

scb

[teamfat]

Back around the end of December I posted a quick note about a small pot of onion soup I made, I should probably do a search of threads I started and see if I can find it.

Anyway, it is fairly simple. Cut up some medium sized onions, I like to use a mix of red, sweet Vidalia, Maui, etc. Leeks might be interesting in this, maybe I'll try it soon.

For soup I like to cut from pole to pole and slice into half moon slivers, rather than cut along the equator and make rings. Melt some butter into a heavy skillet, maybe a scant tablespoon per onion. Toss in a pinch or two of kosher salt. Cook over low heat for about an hour, stirring every now and then, not too often. When the onions are all soft, brown and somewhat carmelized, up the heat to medium high, add a cup or cup and a half of dry white wine, reduce the wine, stirring frequently, until you get a nice light syrupy texture. Add 2 - 3 cups of beef stock ( homemade can be SO much better! ) and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Stir in a splash of sherry, a healthy dose of worcestershire sauce, simmer another 5 - 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, serve as is, sprinkle with some freshly grated cheese, or go the classic French Onion route with the cheese and bread topping browned under a broiler.

Gee, I'm tempted to make some for tomorrow's dinner, maybe with a grilled cheese sandwich alongside. I'm getting hungry!

mjb.

[LessTalkMoreRoc]

With all those onion choices I'd use them all and make a Many Onion Soup with Roasted Garlic.

I'd Slice everything fairly thin, except the cipollini's I'd leave whole if they're small enough.
Cook all the onions down until they reach that nice deep caramelization and deglaze with a little red wine and reduce until almost dry.
Next I'd add some beef stock and again reduce until almost dry.
Next I'd add Chicken stock, lots of fresh thyme, a bay leaf and rosated garlic cloves ( some whole, some purred into a mash and blended throughout the soup) simmer for about 30 minutes and season.

You can finish this soup classically or I like this with some nice hunks of fresh Italian loaf.