October 13, 2007

Onion Soup 2.0


October 12 was Alexandra's birthday, and Bay Area Juliettes will remember that this particular Friday was rainy and cold despite the happy occasion. On this day I made soup. A lot of soup, because it seems that not only are many of my friends fighting a cold, but also onion soup everyone's favorite. I made two double batches, amending Julia's original recipe slightly. I added thyme to both pots during the browning onion stage.

Batch one was made with approximately 2-3 pounds of yellow onions which, when sliced very thinly, amounted to the prescribed amount. I found it took longer than the recommended 40 minutes of browning for the onions to achieve the proper coloring.

On the second batch, I did not have enough yellow onions and had to add some sweet Mayan onions as well. Because these are milder in flavor, I added approximately 1.5-2 cups beyond what the recipe called for. Again, I found it took longer for the onions to achieve the golden brown coloring.

The second batch, perhaps because of the two types of onions used or perhaps because of the extra onions, surpassed the first batch in flavor.

I also found the recommended amount of cheese to be a bit too much for my tastes. Alternative serving suggestion: I poached an egg in the simmering soup, poured both in a bowl, sprinkled with a small amount of grated Gruyere cheese, and paired it with a endive salad for a satisfying autumn lunch.

I look forward to getting feedback from my friends, including Susan who made this soup possible by driving me and my several pounds of onions home in the rain.

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