for love & onions

"Life is like an onion.You peel it off one layer at a time; And sometimes you weep."
-Carl Sandburg

Seven Onion Soup & Parmesan Bread

Seven Onion Soup

Serves: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes (slicing)
Cook time: 40-45 minutes

You'll need:

• 4 strips of bacon
• 4 T. butter
• 2 Yellow Onions, sliced
• 1 Red Onion, sliced
• 1 White Onion, sliced
• 2 Leeks (white part only, be sure to rinse well after slicing)
• 6 Shallots, sliced
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
• Chives (for garnish)
• 1 box beef stock
• 1 beef boullion cube
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 T. dried thyme
• 1 C. red wine
• 1/2 C. heavy cream
• 1/3 C. all purpose flour
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 T. balsamic vinegar

1. In a large pot over medium heat, sautee the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon, but do not discard the grease.

2. Meanwhile, use a mandoline or a chef's knife to finely chop the red onion, the yellow onions, the white onion, the shallots, the leek, and the spring onions.

3. Melt the 4 T. butter with the bacon fat. Add the onions, the thyme, the bay leaf, and 1 T. salt, and 1 T. pepper. Sautee, stirring often, until translucent (~10 or 15 minutes).

4. When the onions are translucent, dust with 1/3 C. flour. Incorporate the flour into the onions, and let cook until golden (~3 minutes).

5. Add the beef stock, and bring to a boil. Add the boullion cube, the balsamic vinegar, and the wine. Salt & pepper to taste.

6. Lower the heat and simmer the soup for 40 minutes, stirring and tasting often. Right before you serve it, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream so it is just heated through.

7. Garnish with crumbled bacon and chives, if you wish.

Parmesan bread
Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

You'll need:

• 1 fresh baguette
• 4 T. butter at room temperature
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2/3 C. grated parmesan cheese
• 2-3 sprigs of parsley, chopped

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the loaf of bread in half (the long way), and then each of those 'loaves' in half (to open them). You should have about 4 equally sized pieces of bread.

3. Use a garlic press to crush the peeled cloves of garlic into the room temperature butter. Use a spoon to stir them to incorporate.

4. Add 1/3 C. grated parmesan cheese into the butter.

5. Add the parsley into the butter. Stir until all ingredients are smoothly incorporated into the butter. Divide it into 4 equal parts, and spread 1 part on each of the 4 pieces of baguette.

6. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan on top of buttered bread, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until cheese and butter have melted, and tops are golden.

7. Enjoy with your soup and a nice, big glass of red wine!