French Onion Soup

Deeply rich and brown, beefy broth, loaded with soft caramel onions, toasted bread, and cheese toasted smothering the soup in the melty goodness over individual terrines or bowls.
The secrets are threefold:
1. The more than impressive Prime Rib Beef Stock. That being said, don't shy away from making this just because you have pre-made beef stock on hand.
2. Cooking down the onions for 1 whole hour- Don't Skimp on this step.
3. Dry out your bread or bake until firm and will soak up the soup but not fall apart.


French Onion Soup

3-4 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dry
1 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4-1/2 tsp for later

1 tbs sugar
1/2 stick (4 tbs) unsalted butter
2 tbs all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good red wine (burgundy, pinot gris), or dry white (I prefer the depth of red)
4 cups Prime Rib Beef Stock, or organic, reduced-sodium beef broth (32 fl oz)
OR
Vegetarian Version- Porcini or Mushroom Stock

2 garlic cloves

Few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette, toasted dry and firm
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

6-8 thinly sliced, or about 2 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Uncovered Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, sugar and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet,  and toast. Turning over once, sprinkle with parmesan, continue to toast until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.

Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a slice(s) of bread(croûte) in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) to cover tops of crocks or bowls, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks; Bake soups on tray for 20 minutes, then preheat broiler. Finish for a minute or two under the broiler to brown the top lightly. Grab pot holders, and serve immediately.

Thai Coconut Lemongrass Soup- Tom Kha Gai

This soup is made with nice size pieces of tender chicken, creamy coconut milk and broth. I have included the authentic ingredients as well as a the cheat version when your pantry is missing some of those ingredients.  This can be made any time of the year with a leftover chicken breast, turkey or by easily preparing some chicken and cutting or shredding.

This is my FAVORITE soup to kick a cold, especially the kind where nothing tastes good and you can't breathe. Lemongrass, chicken broth, the bit of zing to unplug your nose from the red pepper flakes! Yup! It's the one! I'm even known, if its a real whopper, to add a dash of chili oil.

Under 30 minutes

Thai Coconut Lemongrass Soup

1 quart chicken broth
1 1/2 C. coconut milk
1 cup sliced mushrooms (see authentic ingredient below)
1/4 tsp dried chile flakes, or to taste (see authentic ingredient below)
1 Stalk Lemongrass, cut into inch strips and lightly pounded
1 tsp freshly grated Ginger, OR 2 inches fresh ginger sliced into disk shaped slices (see authentic ingredient below)
2 1/2 tbs Lime juice
1/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
1-2 tbs brown sugar (optional)
1-2 cup pulled or cubed cooked Chicken (or white meat turkey)
1 Green Onion, chopped
Chopped Cilantro. Loosely chopped

Other Delicious Authentic Ingredients:

Straw Mushrooms (Found in a can usually) 

6 kaffir lime leaves (lightly bruised to release the flavor)
6 slices galangal, instead of ginger. A similar root, but not the same taste
8 bird’s eye chilies (lightly pounded), instead of dried red pepper flakes
3 tablespoon fish sauce(SUGGESTED)

Bring the stock to a boil, skim any foam that rises to the top and add coconut milk, lemongrass, lime juice, chile flakes, ginger, and chicken Simmer for about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Ladle into soup bowls or mugs and garnish with cilantro and green onions.

Serve in a bowl with a side of steamed rice. (Traditionally this soup is served with the slices of galangal, lemongrass and lime leaves. I know many people who love to chew or enjoy them in the bowl. However if you do not like that or have a family member who doesn't you can strain or remove before adding chicken right at the end.)

Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Noodle Soup is very traditional in many homes after Thanksgiving.  After the Turkey Broth slowly simmers for hours, the making of a delicious soup loaded with tender pieces of turkey, egg noodles, fresh carrots and celery is a wonderful, quick fix meal.

Turkey Noodle Soup
15 minutes or less

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, whole peeled
2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
4 fresh thyme sprigs, or 1 tsp dried
1 bay leaf
2 quarts turkey stock
8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
1 1/2 cups cooked turkey, cubed or shredded
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Place a soup pot over medium heat add olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Add garlic, thyme and bay leaf in last minute Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Add chicken, and simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Leftovers Step 1- Homemade Turkey Broth

Waste Not, Want Not- Ok, conservatively I'm pretty frugal.  In actuality the reason I spent the time to make a broth, and pick the turkey clean of every bit of flavor; is because the delicious dishes created out of it are more than worth it in richeness and flavor with little effort. I admit being arm deep in a bird, post feast is not my favorite pastime. But the rich, enticing broth, the plates full of amazing sauces, sandwiches and soups is well worth the 30 minutes it takes me to glean every last morsel, and through the clean bird in a pot to simmer overnight.

Homemade Turkey Broth

1 turkey- most of the meat to removed from the bone to the best of your ability.  Turkey meat stored in containers for use in leftovers and later meals. (I usually separate the white and dark meat.)
2 stalks celery, sliced into 4 pieces each
2 carrots, sliced into 4 pieces each
1 Bay leaf
salt, about 1 tsp each
Whole Peppercorns, or
Onion from pan and that roasted in the turkey.
1 Large Pot

Optional Flavor additions:
Whole Cloves of Garlic
Fresh Parsley
Celery seed
1/4 tsp thyme

This is a very simple process.  A bit messy up front getting all the meat from the bird, but after that is done the process becomes effortless. Once the turkey has been cleaned of all its meat, put entire turkey, you may have to break it into smaller parts to fit, carrots, onions and celery into pot. Cover completely with water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to Low and simmer for at least 4 hours. If doing overnight place in crock pot on the low setting for at least 10 hours. Feel free to remove any foam that appears on the top so broth remains clear. Once done using a strainer pour out broth catching vegetables, bones and tender meat from the bones in a colander. Putting broth either in storage containers for freezing or another pan to make turkey noodle soup!

Before freezing allow broth to cool on counter and/or refrigerate overnight.

USES: 
Soup Bases and Turkey Noodle Soup
Turkey Enchiladas
Turkey Pot Pie
Turkey Tetrazzini
Turkey Mushroom Risotto
Turkey Chili