Carb Diva Vegetarian French Onion Soup

Years and years (and decades?) ago, when my husband and I were working together, we discovered a restaurant near our office that once a week served French onion soup. I had never heard of French onion soup until I saw it on the menu (my mom was a good cook, but not very adventuresome).

To say that it was a "new taste sensation" is a gross understatement. Never before had I experienced a simple meal with so much intense flavor and textures in one tiny bowl--the richness of the broth, the fragrance of the herbs and onions, the creaminess of the cheeses, and the crunch of the toasted croutons.

And so over the years, with much trial and error (emphasis on the latter) I developed a recipe that I really liked. But, that original recipe included beef broth--not a favorable ingredient when someone you love (my younger daughter) is a vegetarian. So about 20 years ago I began my quest to create that same wonderful rich-tasting broth without the use of animals.

Here's how to do it:

Vegetarian Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 red onions, thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions

1. Saute the onions in the olive oil in a large saute pan or dutch oven over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until browned--about 30  minutes. (This first step requires a bit of patience. The onions need to caramelize low and slow to develop the rich, sweet flavor one associates with french onion soup. Hurry the process with high heat and you'll end up with bitter, burned onions. If you don't allow the onions to develop a deep golden color you'll end up with flabby, watery, and tasteless onions.)
2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add salt and pepper, wine, and tomato paste. Cook until wine is almost evaporated (about 5 minutes). Add water, tomatoes, and herbs. Bring to a boil and then cover; reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Discard bay leaves. We prefer to leave the tomato pieces in our soup, but you may strain the broth and discard the solids if you wish.

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OK, now you have the vegetarian stock. And you can use this for so many more things than French onion soup. So, keep this recipe in your back pocket (as my dad would have said) for future reference. But, if you want to proceed to turn this into Ooey Gooey Cheesy Goodness, simply add:

• 1 day-old baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• about 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush bread slices with olive oil and bake in the oven until edges are brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
2. When ready to serve, whisk the 1/2 cup Parmesan into your hot broth. It’s important to whisk in the cheese at the last minute, or else the cheese will fall to the bottom of the pot and burn. Ladle the warm soup into heatproof bowls, and lay a slice of the baked bread over each bowl. Sprinkle a layer of Gruyere cheese over the bread, and place the crocks under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and browns.
3. Yummmmmmmmmmm!

Photo Credit: Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay 

Stuffed ("Kicked up a notch") French Toast

I know it's been a while since I've posted. A long-anticipated camping trip (and preparing for said trip) have kept me away. We returned home this afternoon after spending most of the week at an annual church camp out.

Once a year for the past 15 years our church has reserved a U.S. Forest Service campground near a river just east of the Cascade Mountains. When we first began this tradition, most of us were "tenters", but as the years have passed (and our backs have aged) the majority now arrive in trailers, RV's or 5th-wheels. In the morning the first ones up prepare coffee and visit each campsite offering a hot cup of joe and a warm "good morning". In the afternoons we swim, hike, fish, and do "a whole lot of nuthin" together. There is usually a group campfire in the evening where memories are shared, and stories are told and re-told. The week culminates with a Saturday scavenger hunt, a potluck, and then Sunday morning worship service near the edge of the river.

Now, if you know anything about Forest Service campgrounds, you'll recognize that we were not exactly living the life of luxury this past week. No electricity, no showers, pit toilets, and (as we jokingly say) running water only if you can move that quickly with a full bucket. We ate well but not exactly gourmet. So, in between making PBJ's for lunch and grilling hot dogs or turkey burgers for dinner, I dreamed about food--amazing, decadent, imaginative food.

My daydreams started the way we should start each day--with a good breakfast. I've never cared much for pancakes or waffles. Both tend to get rather boring after a few bites. But french toast is a different story--crisp on the outside, soft and almost custard-like on the inside. So, what could I do to make it even better? I've seen recipes for stuffed french toast, most of them involving cream cheese and/or mascapone. In the words of Emeril, I'd like to kick it up a notch. What about brie? Is there anything more deliciously self-indulgent?

Carb Diva's French Toast with Brie

Ingredients

• 1 baguette
• 3 ounces brie, chilled for easier slicing
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• fruit topping (see below)

Instructions

1. Slice the baguette on the diagonal (this gives you larger slices of bread), making the slices about 1 1/2 inches thick. Discard the ends or save for another use.
2. With a sharp knife, cut a slit in the bottom (crust) side of each slice. Slice the chilled brie into small wedges, about 1/4-inch thick and 1-inch square. Stuff one wedge of brie into each slice of baguette.
3. In a shallow bowl, beat together the milk, egg, and salt with a wire whisk until well blended. Dip the baguette slices into the milk/egg mixture, turning to coat both cut sides.
4. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 tsp. of the butter; as it melts tilt the pan to coat the bottom. Add as many of the baguette slices as will fit in the pan without crowding. Cook until golden brown on one side (about 2 minutes). Turn over and cook the other side until brown. Remove from pan and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining butter and baguette slices.

Fruit Topping
There are so many things that could be done with this recipe, depending on what seasonal fruits are available. In late Spring I would choose strawberries--slice, sprinkle on a bit of sugar and let sit for a few minutes until juices begin to form.

In summer one could do the same with fresh raspberries or blackberries.

However, my favorite fruit with brie is apples or pears, pared, cored, and thinly sliced, sprinkled with sugar and a generous amount of cinnamon. Let sit for about 30 minutes then place in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until apples or pears begin to soften and juices become syrupy.

Baguettes and brie--could french toast be any more "French" than that? Ooh-la-la!!

White Bean Rosemary Soup (So easy I can do this with my eyes closed)

OK, this has been a  r-e-a-l-l-y busy day. I need to get dinner on the table in a hurry. I'm tired, I'm hungry, and even pancakes feels like too much work right now. And, I need to give you a soup recipe, don't I? So what am I going to do? ...You'll have to trust me on this one. It's good!!:

White Bean Rosemary Soup

Ingredients

2 16-ounce cans white beans, drained
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup of your favorite marinara (red) pasta sauce
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Instructions

Puree all ingredients in blender until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan or Dutch oven and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered and stirring frequently, to blend flavors, 4 to 5 minutes.

Serves 4

Photo Credit: Image by piyalis14 from Pixabay 

Cream of Broccoli Soup

We had a beautiful memorial service at our church this afternoon for one of our members who passed away almost two weeks ago. The service was filled with scripture passages, psalms, and hymns that were very meaningful to Ruth--ones that she had picked out knowing that her time on earth was nearing its end.

But that's not why I'm writing about soup.

After the service, as all good Lutherans do, we had refreshments in the church basement. Now, to most people "refreshments" means coffee and perhaps some stale cookies from the nearest grocery in-store bakery. Or, if you're lucky, a sheet cake from the warehouse store. But as the teens would say "that's not how we roll."

There were sandwiches--at least 8 different kinds, and just as many if not more salads. Plus cookies (homemade, of course), coffee, and iced tea. None of us had eaten lunch, and so when 3 p.m. rolled around...well, I know I should have restrained myself, but I was starving and husband and daughter were in the same condition. We ate, chatted with friends, shared our remembrances of Ruth with the family, and ate some more. All of us, and still there were leftovers.

But that's not why I'm writing about soup.

Somehow, when 7 p.m. rolled around, the spaghetti sauce I had planned to reheat just didn't sound quite so alluring anymore. Too heavy. Too much. We wanted/needed something lighter. But not a 2-hour-simmer-on-the-stove production. Soooo.....

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 leek, sliced (white part only)
• 1 large stalked celery, chopped
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 8 cups broccoli florets
• 3 tablespoons margarine
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups non-fat milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; add onions, leek, and celery and saute until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
2. Add broccoli and broth. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Puree soup in blender and pour into a bowl and set aside. (NOTE: Use extreme caution when blending hot liquids in your blender. It is best to do it in small batches. Some blender manufacturers suggest removing the center section of the lid and covering with a clean cloth.)
3. Place the large pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter has completely melted, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until there are no lumps. Continue to whisk while adding the milk. Stir until thickened and bubbly. Add the pureed broccoli and stir. When hot add salt and pepper to taste.

Photo Credit: Image by Silvia from Pixabay